- Autumn chrysanthemums: origin and characteristics
- The most beautiful varieties of Chrysanthemum indicum
- Plant autumn chrysanthemums
- The right care
- Is Chrysanthemum indicum hardy?
- Are fall chrysanthemums poisonous?
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Autumn chrysanthemums are the ideal addition to the garden, because they guarantee blooms late in the year: the flowering time of autumn chrysanthemums can extend into November.
Autumn flowers like the Autumn Chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum indicum hybrids) not only add color to the garden, but also attract insects. They are grateful for the food source late in the year. You can read more about the characteristics and requirements of the autumn chrysanthemum below. We also present the most beautiful varieties.
Autumn chrysanthemums: origin and characteristics
Autumn chrysanthemums are often referred to as winter asters. They belong to the same family, namely the daisy family (Asteraceae). The perennial, herbaceous plant has its origins in East Asia. Mainly hybrids of the Chrysanthemum indicum are commercially available. These purely cultivated forms descend from the species found in East Asia to Japan.
The growth of the autumn chrysanthemum is characterized by a spherical shape. Depending on the variety, it reaches a height of 50 to 120 centimetres. The dark green, deeply incised leaves, which have an aromatic scent, sit on the sparsely hairy parts of the bushy perennial plant above ground. They are often hardly visible when the plant is in bloom, as they are completely covered by the cup-like flowers. These form from ray florets and tubular florets, with the double varieties containing more rows of ray florets.
The perennials with very double flowers have more of a purpose as ornamental plants and beautiful cut flowers. If you also want insects to enjoy your plants, choose varieties with non-double flowers. The color spectrum of the ray florets is wide. Most varieties have some frost tolerance but are not reliably hardy.
How long do autumn chrysanthemums bloom? Due to the different beginning of the flowering period, a subdivision of the autumnChrysanthemums can be made into early, mid-early and late flowering varieties. The early-flowering varieties can have their first flowers as early as June, the medium-early ones from August or September and the latest varieties begin to flower in October. The end of the flowering period for most varieties is in November.
The most beautiful varieties of Chrysanthemum indicum
In the following we present four special varieties of autumn chrysanthemums, which are Chrysanthemum indicum hybrids. All of them have sufficient winter hardiness down to around -17 °C in our latitudes.
- ˈFog Roseˈ: The special feature of the variety ˈFog Roseˈ are the enchanting, silver-pink flowers. They are densely filled and slowly unfold their ray florets when they bloom. With a height of about 100 to 120 cm, the variety is also well suited as a cut flower.
- ˈPoetryˈ: This bee-friendly variety is adorned from October to November with flowers that are initially creamy white and then pure white. The fragrant flowers are semi-double and very suitable for vases due to their permanence. The plant will grow to about 100 cm.
- ˈApricotˈ: The full, apricot-colored blossoms of the variety ˈApricotˈ are already enchanting from July. The vigorous variety carries the flowers well into November. It can also be used as a cut flower and grows to about 70 to 90 cm tall.
- ˈBienchenˈ: This variety is a very special splash of color for every garden. Its golden-yellow pompom flowers with an orange-brown center can be seen from the end of September.
Plant autumn chrysanthemums
The autumn chrysanthemum prefers a sunny and sheltered location with a well drained, nutrient-rich and chalky substrate. The autumn chrysanthemum is at risk of freezing at locations with soil that is too nutrient-rich and moist and tends to become waterlogged. Suitable times for planting the perennial are either in spring or in autumn after the end of the flowering period. The chrysanthemums are not placed deeper than they were in the pot before. It is best to plant the perennials individually, then they can develop best and look their best.
Chrysanthemum indicum can also be cultivated in a pot. For this should the purchasedPlant can be transplanted into a much larger pot, which ideally has a drainage option for excess irrigation water. A high-quality potting soil that covers the nutrient requirements of your autumn chrysanthemums is suitable as a substrate. An example of such quality soil is our peat-free Plantura organic potting soil. With the included fertilizer, the soil offers optimal starting conditions for your perennials and also ensures lush and long-lasting flowers.
Tip: When planting, it is advisable to use some lime to prepare the soil for the chrysanthemums. For example, our Plantura organic lawn & garden lime can be used for this. Liming is particularly recommended for rather acidic soils, because chrysanthemums cannot effectively absorb nutrients from the soil if the conditions are too acidic. In addition, lime improves the soil structure and thus also the rootability and water permeability of the soil.
The right care
To keep your fall chrysanthemums in top shape, there are a few care measures to follow.
Watering autumn chrysanthemums: Perennial wetness should be avoided with the perennials: do a finger test before watering again.
Pruning, cutting and dividing: Regularly trimming all withered flowers during the flowering period will help the autumn chrysanthemum to form more buds. It is also recommended to divide the rootstock of the perennial every two to three years in order to obtain more vigorous plants or to propagate them.
Fertilize autumn chrysanthemums: With fertilization, which plays an important role in pot culture in particular, the plants can be supplied with the necessary nutrients from March to September. A fertilizer in granular form can be used in the bed. A liquid fertilizer that is administered over the irrigation water is best suited for the pot. Our resource-saving Plantura organic flower & balcony fertilizer, for example, is applied every one to two weeks by such a watering application in the specified period. It provides nitrogen and potassium for vigorous and he althy growth and balances its phosphorus reduction with beneficial microorganisms.
Care after flowering: When the autumn chrysanthemums have faded, it is advisable to leave the plant with its withered shoots over the winter, as these are regarded asserve as natural antifreeze. In the spring, the perennial can then be cut back to the ground before it starts to sprout again.
Is Chrysanthemum indicum hardy?
Only available in the trade are Chrysanthemum indicum hybrids, which are assigned to winter hardiness zone Z7. That means they tolerate temperatures from about - 12 °C to - 17 °C. Among the different varieties there are also plants that are less hardy. That's why you should research and choose carefully when buying. If your autumn chrysanthemums were not planted until autumn, they absolutely need winter protection. The root disc of the plant can be protected by covering it with the cut off, withered shoots, needle twigs or straw. Alternatively, a breathable garden fleece is also suitable, with which the perennial is covered.
Are fall chrysanthemums poisonous?
Yes, if you have pets, you should be aware that chrysanthemums are very poisonous for cats, dogs, rodents and also grazing animals. All parts of the plant can cause them severe symptoms of poisoning.
There are actually edible chrysanthemums (Glebionis coronaria) which, unlike most chrysanthemum species, can be eaten by humans without any problems. In the case of Chrysanthemum indicum , the ingestion of parts of the plant by children or adults should be avoided as a precaution, even if there is no clear evidence of their toxicity to humans.
If you would like to gather more expert knowledge and care tips for other chrysanthemums, it is worth reading our special article. We present other decorative autumn flowers for the garden and balcony in our overview.