Chrysanthemum morifolium aka Hardy Garden Mum

Chrysanthemum morifolium is a garden hybrid, a cross of several chrysanthemum species. It belongs to the daisy family, Asteraceae. Its common names include garden mum and florist’s chrysanthemum. It also has the name Dendranthema × grandiflorum. The plant comes from southeastern China. No one knows of a truly wild group of these plants. Growers raise many named forms for their flowers.

This plant lives for years and forms a rounded shape. It grows at a medium rate. It can reach about 5 feet (1.5 metres) tall. It blooms from August to October, in late summer and autumn. Flowers come in orange, pink, purple, red, white and yellow. Each head holds small flowers, as is usual in this family. The flowers have both male and female parts. Insects move pollen from flower to flower. Plants raised from seed may not match their parents. This matters to growers who want to keep a chosen form.

Give it sun and rich soil that drains well. It needs light and will not grow in shade. It likes moist ground more than a dry site. It can grow in sand, loam or clay. The soil can be slightly acid, neutral or slightly alkaline. The source gives USDA hardiness zones 5–10. But it warns that many forms need a greenhouse in colder British areas. Choose plants for outdoor beds with their cold hardiness in mind. Split clumps in spring to make more plants. Keep small new clumps in shelter while they form strong roots.

Garden mums add late blooms to borders and planted beds. Grow them in pots, large groups or on their own for show. They also suit beds near the base of buildings. Their range of colours suits more than one kind of display. Pots let growers move plants under cover when they need shelter. The source notes indoor use to remove chemical vapours. It does not show that this works in normal homes.

The source lists the leaves and flowers as foods. Cooks add cooked leaves to fritters and flowers to soups. They can boil petals briefly, pickle them or make tempura. Both leaves and flowers can make tea. Growers have chosen some forms for leaves with a less bitter taste. The flowers have a long history of use in Chinese medicine. That history does not prove they are safe or work as treatments.