It's that time of the year, hardy garden mums are starting to bloom.

Chrysanthemum 'Dorothy Degn', 2018 photo, Common Name: Hardy Garden Mum , Size: 20in., 3 in. Pompom Red, Breeder: (Dooley), USDA Hardiness Zone 4, Michigan Bloom Month 9. In Garden Bed J2.4 for 2.3 YEARS (FGI ). Planted in 2016.

From the Dooley Mum Garden in Hutchinson, MN. Vince Dooley named this one after an employee. Also from Dooley are 'Florence' and 'Cheryl's Dreams' named after wife & daughter. Degn has jewel-like pompom flowers with a bright red with smoky center.

I wish I knew names for mine. They grow well and and hardy, but they are very basic. LOL!

I just wish I could call one hardy. I have never had luck with them returning.

Very pretty

I have had several Hardy Mums that came back for a couple years but that's all the longer I got to enjoy them. I have a little more luck with Asters. Maybe I will give the Hardy Mum another chance. They are very beautiful when they are in full bloom.

So do they have to be called Chrysanthemum or just Garden Mum. I was thinking there was a difference, like one would come back and the other wouldn't. Do you know?

yes, garden mum and chrysanthemum are the same.

the mums that are sold in the fall at local stores and nurseries are usually not hardy.

Bluestone perennials has a good selection of hardy mums

Hardy garden mums have a mind of their own. I currently have about 40 of them and I always have some that do not make it thru the winter. I have read that you should not cut them to the ground until spring. Apparently this keeps snow on the plant for protection. Also, I think mulching might help, but I have not tried that. 'Mary Stoker' is an heirloom mum that has grown well for me. It is quite large.

Chrysanthemum rubellum 'Mary Stoker', 2018 photo, Common Name: Korean Mum , Size: 2-3ft., Yellow single, Breeder: (Heirloom), USDA Hardiness Zone 5, Michigan Bloom Month 8-9, In Garden Bed S3 for 3.3 YEARS (blue). Planted in 2015.

Family Asteraceae (ass-ter-AY-see-ee). An old fashioned mum. Straw/apricot yellow flowers turn gold in September/October. It blooms earlier than other Korean mums. One google says it's an heirloom from Russia. Planted in 2015.

Thanks Frank. I will check out Bluestone Perennials.

Frank what zone are you in? I have not had any luck with mums. The Korean mum you show is beautiful.

Sorry, I thought I had my usda zone listed in my profile:)

I am supposedly in zone 5b, but because I am in a rural setting with no wind protection, I usually try to buy zone 4 plants. From experience, many zone 5 plants do not survive my winters.

Mums of Minnesota offers many mums that are rated to zone 4. Many were developed by the Univ of Minnesota.

https://www.fgimn.com/index.ph...

Thank you for the info and link.

There are some hardy "football" mums too... this is the third season for this one

Chrysanthemum 'Cheerleader', Common Name: Football Series Intermediate Incurve Mum , Size: 36in., 5-6"" Orange Copper Incurved (5A-B), USDA Hardiness Zone 5, Michigan Bloom Month 8c (E)

Family Asteraceae (ass-ter-AY-see-ee). Brushed amber petals remain huddled in the center. A big incurved deep gold bronze Football Mum. Can be disbudded for 5in. to 6in. blooms. Cheerleader is a 1964 addition to the University of Nebraska's Foorball Series of Chrysanthemums. Developed by Viehmeyer.

Here is a mum that I planted in June of this year (~100 days ago). It has developed into quite a plant.

Chrysanthemum 'Jewel Box', 2018 photo, Common Name: Hardy Garden Mum , Size: 20in., Lavender Pink Cushion Flower, Breeder: (Origin Unknown), USDA Hardiness Zone 5, Michigan Bloom Month 8c, In Garden Bed H1 for 107 DAYS (Blue). Planted in 2018.

Family Asteraceae (ass-ter-AY-see-ee). Lavender-pink tones. Sometimes called a ""bushel-basket"" Mum. Low growing mound. Small Decorative, pink. Origin not known.

frankrichards16 said:yes, garden mum and chrysanthemum are the same.

the mums that are sold in the fall at local stores and nurseries are usually not hardy.

Bluestone perennials has a good selection of hardy mums

frankrichards16 said:yes, garden mum and chrysanthemum are the same.

the mums that are sold in the fall at local stores and nurseries are usually not hardy.

Bluestone perennials has a good selection of hardy mums

I used to live by Bluestone, but when they stopped offerring 6-packs, I stopped shopping there. I like to see mine grow. And I hate wasting money on plants that would grow larger in my care. That is most of the fun.

I tried using following what I was told that if you get them early Spring and grow them through the summer they have a better chance of surviving winter.

I tried it a couple of time ordering them online because the nurseries (not grocery store or Big Box) usually do not start to sell them until Fall because they sell better in bloom.

That helped but I still only got 2 yrs ordering them online early season.

Planted this one last year (in the spring).

"Chrysanthemum 'French Vanilla', 2018 photo, Common Name: Football Mum , Size: 36in., white, USDA Hardiness Zone 5, Michigan Bloom Month 8c, In Garden Bed E4 for 1.3 YEARS (blue). Planted in 2017.

Light apricot shades turn to sweet cream colored outer petals. Large corsage-type flowers.

Chrysanthemum 'Purple Waters', Common Name: Hardy Garden Mum , Size: 2ft., Deep Purple, Breeder: (Lehman), USDA Hardiness Zone 5, Michigan Bloom Month 10a

Purple Waters, Lehman
Bloom Date per supplier is September 17th. First week in October in Michigan, 2016. Early deep purple. In my opinion, this is truly a purple:)

Chrysanthemum 'Betty Lou', 2018 photo, Common Name: MAXI-MUM™ Garden Mum , Size: 30in., 2.5 in. Red Button (6C-R), Breeder: (UofMN, 1996), USDA Hardiness Zone 4, Michigan Bloom Month 7a (E), In Garden Bed R1 for 1.3 YEARS (Wild). Planted in 2017.

Family Asteraceae (ass-ter-AY-see-ee). University of Minnesota, 1996. Maxi-mum. Mature in the second year to 3x3 feet. Still relatively small size in 2018, but it did bloom. It is a darker red than I anticipated.

This is probably the first MAMMOTH series mum from from U of Mn. They had trademarked it MAXI-MUM™ but later changed the name to MAMMOTH which is also trademarked. I guess calling anything MAXI-something is not a good idea, even 20 years ago.

frankrichards16 said:It's that time of the year, hardy garden mums are starting to bloom.

Chrysanthemum 'Dorothy Degn', 2018 photo, Common Name: Hardy Garden Mum , Size: 20in., 3 in. Pompom Red, Breeder: (Dooley), USDA Hardiness Zone 4, Michigan Bloom Month 9. In Garden Bed J2.4 for 2.3 YEARS (FGI ). Planted in 2016.

From the Dooley Mum Garden in Hutchinson, MN. Vince Dooley named this one after an employee. Also from Dooley are 'Florence' and 'Cheryl's Dreams' named after wife & daughter. Degn has jewel-like pompom flowers with a bright red with smoky center.

• Chrysanthemum 'Dorothy Degn'
• Uploaded by frankrichards16

My dad worked with Vince Dooley and knew him well.

Vince died in 2005 and even though I drive by his place. or what was, I do not know if it is still going.
I know mom used to go there and I remember going there once a long, long, long time ago as a yout.
Sharon grows Mums, and I even saved one she was letting die this summer.
I may have to try some at home next year, never thought of doing that before your post, thanks

Some of the chrysanthemums can get quite large.

Chrysanthemum 'Ruby Mound', Chrysanthemum 'Wild Berry'