Chrysanthemums are a very popular annual flower in the fall. Their late blooming time and colorful appearance make them a staple of the cooler days as late summer bleeds into the fall. While mums are originally found in Asia, their popularity as an ornamental annual flower has found them spread across the globe.   

Origins 

Chrysanthemum comes from a combination of two Ancient Greek words for gold, (chrysos) &  flower (anthemon). First cultivated in China around the 15th century BC, by 1630 there were over 500 cultivars (types of a plant cultivated through selective breeding). By 2014 it is estimated that there are 20,000 cultivars in the world!

Mum’s & Japan

Chrysanthemums have held an important symbolic role in Japan. Their cultivation on the island in the 17th to 19th century paved the way for what we now know as the modern mum. The seal of Japan features a depiction of a Chrysanthemum. The throne of the Emperor of Japan is actually called the Chrysanthemum throne. In fact, in Japan they might say a law or announcement came “from the Chrysanthemum Throne” exactly how in America we would say something came “from the White House” to mean from the government. 

In Modern Times

Modern mums, like the kind we sell, have been cultivated in a wide variety of shapes, sizes and colors. Our Chrysanthemums are grown outside of the greenhouses on what we call “the mum pad”. We start growing them around the 3rd week in June during the height of our busy season! We have them available in 4.5”,  8”, & 10” pots. We have too many color variations to list in a multitude of combinations.