12 Beautiful Mums To Plant In Spring In Your Garden, Recommended By Our Professional Gardener

Chrysanthemums are a hardy perennial flower often sold as an annual for fall decor and container planting. Planting bare root mums in spring gives them time to get established for the fall blooming season. You can plant potted mums you buy in autumn, but this works best when done as early as possible with small plants. If you can find bare root mums via mail order (Bluestone Perennials has a great selection) and plant in spring, this is a real recipe for success. The varieties mentioned here are favorites I'm particularly fond of, and I recommend you plant them in spring for gorgeous blooms every year.

Perennial mums are easy to grow. They bloom best in full sun, but my perennial mums bloom fine in my partly-sunny garden. They like rich, well-draining soil and are easily divided and replanted in spring just as new growth appears. Mums are very attractive to late season pollinators. Though their scent is sharp rather than sweet, the odor of mums (which is similar to a florist shop) naturally repels insect pests. To encourage fuller plants with more stems and flowers, the buds should be pinched back every couple of weeks until early summer, stopping in July; the 4th of July is a good reminder. 

Chrysanthemums, a member of the Asteraceae family, are sometimes known as Chrysanthemum morifolium or Chrysanthemum grandiflorum. Common variety names include hardy mums, fall mums, garden mums, cushion mums, button mums, daisy mums, spider mums, or Belgian mums, referring to their hardiness, forms, or origins. Check your favorite mail order plant vendors for bare root or small potted mums for spring planting in your USDA zone.

Belgian mums are a type of hardy mum introduced to American markets about 25 years ago. They bloom late into the season, are sturdy in cold or windy weather, form full, ball-shaped plants loaded with flowers, and tend to adapt to perennializing very well. 'Padre Yellow' (Chrysanthemum x morifolium Belgian 'Padre Yellow') is a stunning bright yellow color and a great choice for an autumn garden. Try pairing these vivid yellow mums with assorted annuals for late summer color in the garden, like petunias or zinnias in shades of pink and purple.

Spider mums (Dendranthema x Grandiflorum, formerly Chrysanthemum Morifolium), sometimes known as quilled or spoon mums, are large flowers with spiky petals ending in slender spoon-shaped tips. They lend a dramatic shape to the garden and come in many vivid colors and even bi-colors. Bluestone Perennials sells a colorful collection of them, and you can find these varieties through mail order vendors. One of my favorites is 'Evening Glow' which has radiant deep pink and mauve petals. I also love 'Matchsticks,' which is a striking bi-color combination of reddish bronze and pale yellow, a real stunner in autumn.

Football mums (Chrysanthemum × morifolium) are large, rounded mums with twisty petals that are named for their suitability as corsages for events like Homecoming games in autumn. They come in a wide range of colors, from creamy white and yellow to deep rust and burgundy. One of my favorites is 'Coral Cavalier' which I have been growing for a few years. It's a sturdy flower in shades of pale peach, apricot, and pink. These mums tend to grow slightly taller than others, so give them some space.

The 'Cheryl' mums are named for their showy colors and are available in a wide range of hues from delicate pastels to bold brights. I love 'Cheryl Spicy Orange' (Chrysanthemum x morifolium 'Cheryl Spicy Orange') for its dramatic hues, a warm medium orange with hints of red and vermilion in the center petals. This one makes a real statement paired with purple flowers or brightly-colored mums in shades of magenta and fuchsia. Varieties in these colors include 'Debutante' (rich fuchsia), 'Morgana Purple' (luscious plum purple), or 'High Style' (magenta pink with hints of burgundy).

I personally love pink perennial flowers in the autumn garden for many reasons. It's unexpected (being a color usually seen in spring and summer gardens) and lends a touch of cool beauty amidst the familiar warm shades of autumn flowers. There are many pink mums available from pale to bright, with undertones ranging from peach to lavender to mauve. The glimmering hues of 'Soft Cheryl Pink' (Chrysanthemum x morifolium 'Soft Cheryl Pink') hold their delicate color for weeks. For lovely lavender pink blooms with large flowers, try 'Grandchild,' a popular cushion mum.

The first time I ever saw button mums, I was so charmed by the cute little spheres of lemon yellow that I just had to get them for my garden. These compact mums are also sometimes called pompom mums. The flower heads are round with very tight petals and add a striking touch of textural interest when planted with other mums. These unique types come in a wide range of colors; try bright yellow 'Lemon Baby Tears,' golden orange 'Honeycomb,' or bright magenta pink 'Small Wonder.'

Dark red mums can be real showstoppers in the garden. There are many varieties to choose from, but I like the cushion-style Korean mum 'Ruby Mound' (Chrysanthemum 'Ruby Mound') for its brilliant color and long-lasting blooms. These deeply-colored mums look wonderful when combined with pale yellow or cream-colored mums. Try 'Chiffon' (cream tinged with pale apricot) or 'French Vanilla' (large cushion mums of cream and butter yellow). For a cool-toned vibrant display, plant with light violet blue asters like 'Bluebird' (Symphyotrichum laeve 'Bluebird'). Other dark red cultivars include 'Morgana Red' and 'Kathleen Dark Red.'

The 'Clara Curtis' (Dendranthema 'Clara Curtis') cultivar is a pale orchid pink daisy mum, sometimes referred to as 'Clara Curtis Daisy.' Daisy mums come in a great range of colors including some vivid deep oranges and reds. This variety has been reclassified as a Dendranthema and is sold under that name by some vendors, but is also still sold as a Chrysanthemum. 'Clara Curtis' is a vigorous bloomer that starts flowering early in September and increases reliably each year. I love the charming cloud of long-lasting pastel color this one adds to the autumn flower bed.

Purple mums can bring a punch of color to the autumn flower bed. Their deep blue-red tones are just breathtaking in the late afternoon sunlight as days start to grow shorter. One good variety to try is the hardy Belgian mum 'Adiva Purple' (Chrysanthemum x morifolium 'Adiva Purple'), a sturdy, reliable flower that grows in a nice round form covered with buds that keep blooming for weeks. Purple mums look lovely with late season annuals or perennials in warm, rich colors. Try them paired with snapdragons, zinnias, or calendulas in shades of orange, peach, and yellow.

The 'Pat Lehman' (Chrysanthemum 'Pat Lehman') garden mum is a gorgeous, fluffy-petaled garden mum in shades of peach, apricot, and pale pink. I've not had much luck finding this one, but it's on my wish list. Luckily, there are other varieties in these colors that are easier to acquire, like Belgian mum 'Fonti Coral' in pale dusky peach, a football-style mum 'Coral Cavalier' (bronze pink with gold and peach tones), or the even bigger and fuller football mum 'Homecoming' in shades of coral, peach, apricot, and pink. 

One feature of mums that's similar to dahlias (another autumn favorite) is the deep color contrast from inner to outer petals. For a spot of light, cheery, two-tone color, you can't beat the 'Peace' chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum × morifolium 'Peace'). This hardy garden mum has fluffy layers of butter yellow center petals with outer petals that turn creamy white. Adding a light yellow mum to your flower beds lends some pale contrast that helps show off deeper autumnal colors; pair these sunny beauties with mums in deep shades of copper and orange, like 'Coppersmith,' 'Burnt Copper,' or 'High Regards.'

One of my favorite mums for its range of color through the season is 'Royal Glamour' (Chrysanthemum x grandiflorum 'Royal Glamour'). This cushion style mum has dusky, muted shades of rose pink, burgundy, coral, salmon, and reddish purple as its colors shift from buds to flowers. The rich yet subtle colors of this mum work with either cool or warm palettes in the garden. Try them planted with dark purple or pale blue asters like 'Grape Crush' or 'Wood's Blue,' or warm-toned mums like 'French Vanilla' (cream with hints of pale apricot) or  'Sienna Bronze' (luscious gold-orange).