Beyond The Cushion Mums

Explore Beyond the Classic Cushion With These Unique Fall Mums For Your Garden

A guide to choosing mums for the fall garden, including traditional "cushion" mums, or "florist mums," which are often sold in foil-wrapped pots at supermarkets and chain stores for one-season fall decoration. The National Chrysanthemum Society has designated 13 exhibition-judging categories for the wild chrysanthemums, which are too delicate to grow outdoors or require specialized handling not easily attainable in the garden. Many mums are perennial and will return year after year if planted early enough for their roots to establish before frost. Other unusual types of mums include daisy chrysantshemums with their namesake flower, which typically bloom in late summer or early fall and continue for four to six weeks. Homecoming or football mums can be found at specialty nurseries or catalogs.