10 frequently asked questions

When can you buy a chrysanthemum?

A chrysanthemum is a typical fall plant and is therefore available in stores for a limited time of the year. These bright autumn bloomers are usually available during the months of September and October. Depending on the country you live in, you can also purchase a colorful bulb chrysanthemum as early as August.

Are chrysanthemums winter hardy?

Ball shaped chrysanthemums are not fans of freezing temperatures. When freezing weather is predicted, it is better to leave your bright bulb chrysanthemum indoors overnight or put your flowering plant in a sheltered place so that the plant is protected from the cutting freezing weather.

How should you care for chrysanthemums?

Bulb chrysanthemums like a lot of light. Therefore, choose a spot where your plant can enjoy the sun's rays and avoid places where there is only shade. Don't water your bulb chrysanthemum too much. Your Mum Flowers plant can tolerate drought well, provided it doesn't last too long. Water your plant once or twice a week. This should be sufficient under normal conditions. A chrysanthemum does not like wet feet. Excess water in the pot is better poured away. Furthermore, a chrysanthemum gives few specific requirements. With proper care, you will be able to enjoy your colorful fall plant for 4 to 6 weeks.

How should you sow chrysanthemums?

Chrysanthemums are not sown. A chrysanthemum grows from a cutting. The cutting is planted in potting soil and from here a bulb chrysanthemum grows into a colorful and bright bulb chrysanthemum.

Can you use chrysanthemums for tea?

In principle, you could make perfect chrysanthemum tea. BUT, you can't use any plant for making tea. Plants are often sprayed with substances during their cultivation that are not meant to be consumed. So it is definitely not your intention to dry flowers from the plant you got at the flower store or garden center to make tea. But provided plants are grown without sprays, it is certainly possible to make a nice tea from these autumn blooms.

Curious about the taste of chrysanthemums? Did you know that chrysanthemum beer exists. Mum Beer is a beer based on chrysanthemum extract. This creates a unique flavor in the beer. So if you would like to taste what a chrysanthemum tastes like, you can try this beer.

How much water does a chrysanthemum need?

A Mum Flowers plant is not demanding and can tolerate drought quite well. We recommend watering your Mum Flowers plant once or twice a week. Make sure that no water remains in the pot because our colorful fall bloomers do not like wet feet. Should there still be water in the pot, pour it away.

Why do we put chrysanthemums on graves on All Saints Day?

Chrysanthemums are an ancient plant species. Originally, globe chrysanthemums were golden yellow. They therefore owe their name to this color. 'Chryso' in Greek means 'gold' and 'anthemom' means flower. In China, chrysanthemums have long been regarded as sacred flowers. In the 18th century, the plant species made its appearance in our regions. By now there is a wide range of colors available from this bright autumn bloomer. Because they are autumn flowers and have a very long shelf life, they are the ideal plants to place on graves on November 1. So here with us, the plant is more or less associated with death, but in Asia, this bright bulb symbolizes happiness, long life and health. In fact, with a chrysanthemum we wish our dearly departed an eternal life.

Thanks to its bright colors and long durability, the bulb chrysanthemum is also used more and more as a decoration on the terrace and at the front door.

Does a chrysanthemum need extra fertilization?

Extra fertilization is not necessary. A Mum plant is supplied with enough Mum Power. There is still enough reserve nutrient present to keep the plant blooming.

(How) should I top my chrysanthemums?

In principle, a Mum Flowers plant should not be topped. The genetics of our plants just ensure that this is not necessary because our plants form a nice sphere by themselves.

In principle, if you buy a Mum Flowers plant in the store, you do not need to top your plant. Topping is an action that is only done during the growing process. If you bought a bulb chrysanthemum in the store, you don't really have to do much more than water the plant and occasionally remove the spent flowers or rotten leaves from the plant.

If your plant has flowered out, you don't have to throw your plant away. Cut the plant short to the base. Soon you will get new shoots. Those shoots you can use again. If you have taken a shoot, also called a cutting, from your cut plant you can grow it into a new plant. A rooted cutting is potted in the spring. It continues to grow until after the summer. After all, a chrysanthemum needs a long night before flowering naturally.The cutting will start to grow. When the cutting gets a bit long, you can start topping it. You do this by removing the growing point (the top of the plant) with some leaves so that the plant can further branch quickly. You can repeat this a few times. From the mid-July onwards, just let your plant do its own thing. A sea of flowers will appear with the arrival of autumn.

Is a chrysanthemum a perennial plant?

A perennial is a plant that can bloom more than once during its lifetime and lives for more than two years.

Basically, a chrysanthemum is not a perennial plant. Although we do notice that given climate change, winters are becoming milder with us and we barely have to deal with severe frosts. This means that if you can protect your plant somewhat from the freezing temperatures it is perfectly possible to overwinter your bulb chrysanthemum.