When Are My Chrysanthemums Going To Bloom?

Chrysanthemums, also known as “mums”, are a popular autumn flower that blooms from late summer into late autumn. They are short-day plants, meaning they will flower under short days with less than 12 hours of light per day. They are cheerful flowering plants that work well in beds and borders, while late-flowering types flower in the winter months and can be grown indoors.

Chrysanthemums typically bloom for 4 to 8 weeks, from early September to frost. The flowers are photoperiodic, meaning they bloom in response to the shorter days and longer nights experienced in the northern hemisphere in late summer and fall. Early bloomers often begin flowering in late July, early fall bloomers show off blooms in September, and late fall bloomers start their stunning display of colors in October. Each variety differs, but most mums will continue to bloom for four to eight weeks.

Chrysanthemums bloom naturally from mid-August to mid-January and are divided into those that flower mid-August to mid-September (earlies) before the frosts. The chrysanthemum bloom season ranges from late summer into early winter depending on your zone. In rare cases, mums are not flowering.

To care for your mums, plant them in early spring or at least 6 weeks before a killing frost in fall. They have a long flowering period, with flowers held above the foliage on single sturdy stems. If you want fall flowers on your mums, wait until things cool off before setting out the plants. Mums are a popular fall flower, but their blooms can be fleeting.