Plant primer: Chrysanthemum

Height: 1 to 2 feet

Spread: 1 to 2 feet

Hardiness: Zone 5

Origin: Asia

One of the best features that cooler weather can bring to a garden is the inclusion of flowering mums (Dendranthema x grandiflora syn. Chrysanthemum morifolium).

The fall bloomers form a thick mound of fragrant lobed leaves ranging from dark green to a silvery blue green. A variety of mums are based on flower shape: tubelike petals, daisy, decorative double or semi-double flowers, small ball-shaped pompons, and the small round button.

The flowers can be in shades of white and cream, yellow, pink, red, orange, bronze or purple; the only color missing is blue.

Mums are a nice addition to a garden border or as part of a colorful container display with pumpkins, asters, and ornamental grasses and cabbages. If planted late in the growing season, mums sometimes don’t survive winter; they don’t have time to grow roots out into the surrounding soil.

Many shapes and colors of mums can be seen at the Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens.

— Barbara Arnold,

Franklin Park Conservatory