M NEXUS INSIGHT
// education

Are there any mums that are perennials?

By Sophia Carter

Are there any mums that are perennials?

Mums are one of the more confusing plant groups (even their botanical name has changed several times). Garden mums, also known as hardy mums, are perennial mums. Cut-flower chrysanthemums, like spider mums or football mums, are perennials in Zones 5 to 9, and these types are becoming easier to find for sale online.

What mum plants come back every year?

Perennial Mums Water well throughout the growing season. Like annual mums, you’ll get the best blooms if they’re planted in full sun, but they will tolerate partial shade. This encourages them to grow fuller and bushier, and flower later into the season. Like annual mums, perennial mums benefit from deadheading.

What perennials feed flowers?

Broadcasting a slow release fertilizer is the best choice to meet season-long plant nutrient requirements, but you can also use a balanced fertilizer such as 20-5-10. If your soil test indicates that you do not need phosphorous, choose a product such as 20-0-10.

Will mums come back next year?

Because people often think that mums (formally called Chrysanthemums) are at best a finicky perennial, many gardeners treat them as annuals, but this doesn’t have to be the case. With just a little winter care for mums, these fall beauties can come back year after year.

Do mums come back every year in pots?

Potted mums are autumn classics, with late-season color that boosts curb appeal or brightens a Thanksgiving table. Treat your potted mums with care, and they’ll come back whether you maintain them in the pot or plant them out in the garden.

Can I keep mums in pots over the winter?

And because most mums sold in the fall are hardy perennials, you can even overwinter them. The tricky part is that if you plant them in your garden late in fall when you’re ready to empty out containers for winter, they won’t have time to grow enough roots to withstand freezing conditions.

Will potted mums come back next year?

They will grow back and your plant won’t look dead in the middle.” Many people buy mums in the fall thinking the plants are annuals. But if you buy hardy mums, you can get them to bloom year after year.

Can I use Miracle Grow on perennials?

Many perennial garden plants need soil with good drainage. Enrich your soil with organic materials like compost or amend with Miracle-Gro® Garden Soil for Flowers & Vegetables.

What perennials should not be fertilized?

Perennials that require no fertilizer: Included are ornamental grasses, false indigo, ground covers, butterfly weed, bee balm, coneflowers, black-eyed Susans, sea holly, dianthus, asters and veronica. summer: Use a quick release food in summer, instead of a slow release food.