For mums that riot in brilliant color in a last burst of bloom before frost strikes, gardeners in northern climates can thank men like Dr. L. E. Longley, assistant professor of horticulture at University Farm, St. Paul, Minnesota.
Dr. Longley has spent years developing chrysanthemums that flower in climates of northern states such as Minnesota and the Dakotas, Wisconsin, and Iowa.
He is in charge of the chrysanthemum breeding project at the Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station, one of the few state experiment stations working with the breeding of chrysanthemums.
To watch Dr. Longley in the ‘mum garden or the greenhouse at University Farm is to know that chrysanthemums are one of his first loves. Roses are another of his loves.
Though to him they are both work and hobby, he has other hobbies, too – such as fishing and camp cookery.
For years he has been a favorite guest on local radio programs, dispensing timely gardening information. His alertness, his enthusiasm, and his sense of humor are only a few of the qualities that endear him to students in his horticulture classes.
Since 1936, when the Horticulture Division at the Minnesota Station started breeding outdoor varieties of chrysanthemums, Dr. Longley has been responsible for developing and introducing 23 new ‘mums particularly adapted to northern climates.
Two new varieties were added to the list this year.
Minnesota ‘mums
Though chrysanthemums have long flourished in gardens to the east and south, only in recent years have really good varieties been available that will bloom in northern regions.
The biggest obstacles to getting a good chrysanthemum for northern climates are the early frost and the fact that the chrysanthemum is a “short-day” plant and hence will not bloom until the days in late summer become short enough to cause the development of flower buds.
Dr. Longley’s problem has been to develop varieties that are early enough to bloom before heavy frost and hardy enough to withstand severe winters.
At first, the emphasis in the breeding work at Minnesota was largely on earliness; now, stress is being placed on developing hardiness through the use of hardier parents.
Satisfactory early varieties have been produced, but improving hardiness is still a problem that is being worked on.
The Minnesota ‘mums, though developed primarily for northern regions, have been grown successfully in Ohio, at least as far south as Kentucky, and in the east in Maine and Massachusetts.
Flowering Dates
Flowering dates, of course, will vary for the same variety in different sections of the country. The farther north they are planted, the later they will be; the farther south, the earlier they will bloom.
In northern regions like Minnesota, early-blooming varieties usually appear between the middle of August and the first of September; midseason, from early September to the middle of the month; and late varieties after that.
Other factors besides locality, however, are important in establishing the time of bloom. The flowering dates set for Minnesota’s mums are based on planting early in May.
If the plants are set out later, the bloom will come later. Planting in partial shade will also have the effect of postponing the time of bloom. Pinching the plants back delays flowering somewhat, too.
The Minnesota Varieties
Duluth
The first Minnesota variety was introduced in 1939 under the name DULUTH. This is a tall, upright mum with semi-double, lemon-yellow flowers about 2” inches in diameter.
It blooms early, profusely, and for a long period. It is the hardest Minnesota variety.
Silver Pink and Brilliant
The most recent varieties introduced are SILVER PINK and BRILLIANT, named early this year.
SILVER PINK is a medium-height plant with double flowers 21/2″ inches in diameter which grow in large clusters on long stems.
Blooming early to midseason, flowers are soft pink with a silvery sheen. They are good for cutting.
BRILLIANT, the earliest red cushion ‘mum,’ is a very compact, low-growing plant covered with a mass of double, flat flowers of bright Brazil-red, 2 ½” inches in diameter.
Chippewa, Harmony, Maroon ‘N’ Gold, Butterball
Dr. Longley rates the popular CHIPPEWA, HARMONY, MAROON ‘N’ GOLD, and BUTTERBALL among his top performers.
CHIPPEWA is a rich aster-purple bloom with incurved flowers growing in big clusters.
It blooms early to midseason and is a magnificent sight for nearly two months. The flowers are 2 ¾” inches in diameter or larger and are fine for cutting.
The plant is bushy and grows 20” inches or more in height.
Harmony
HARMONY is yellow early in the season, later turns strawberry pink, then a deep Brazil-red. Sometimes all these colors will be present at one time.
For several weeks the plant is covered with a mass of flowers about 2 ¼” inches in diameter.
Maroon ‘N’ Gold
MAROON ‘N’ GOLD is the largest Long-ley creation, between 3” and 4” inches in diameter, with Brazil-red to maroon rays above but golden on the lower side. The plant is low and floriferous.
Butterball
BUTTERBALL has dark yellow, double ball-shaped flowers with incurved rays. A low and compact, profuse-blooming plant, it is at its best in mid-September but starts blooming in the middle of August and continues throughout the season.
Moonglow
Another yellow ‘mum’ is MOONGLOW, a low, bushy plant with double, deep lemon chrome flowers.
Other varieties developed by Dr. Longley are the white:
- DEE DEE AHRENS
- BOREAS
- WATERLILY
- SNOWBALL
- GLACIER
The purple:
- WELCOME
- PURPLE STAR
- VIOLET
Varying shades of red:
- REDWOOD
- RED-HAWK
- REDGOLD
- SUNRED
- PIPESTONE
- REDWING
- AURORA
Dee Dee Ahrens
DEE DEE AHRENS is an unusually heavy-blooming double-white flower blooming mid-season to late fall.
The plant is tall, upright, and rather stiff, bearing its flowers on long, slender sterns.
Boreas
BOREAS is an early double white flower, good for cutting.
Water Lily
WATERLILY, according to Dr. Longley, is a better white than BOREAS, semi-double with four rows of rays suggesting a water lily in full bloom on long stems.
The plant is medium-tall and blooms early – almost too early – to midseason.
Glacier
GLACIER has double pure white flowers 3” inches in diameter, growing in loose clusters on long stems. It is at its best from early September to early October.
Snowball
SNOWBALL has double ivory flowers at first, which become pure white. The plant, medium in height and loose in habit, blooms early and throughout the season. Flowers are 2 ½” inches in diameter or larger, and stems are long.
Welcome
One of the earliest blooming of the Minnesota ‘mums and one that is rather hardy is WELCOME, which begins flowering in mid-August or earlier.
Low and irregularly bushy, it has long stems and semi-double bright mallow-purple flowers 1 3/4 inch in diameter.
Purple Star
PURPLE STAR is characterized by its semi-double to nearly double bright dahlia-purple flowers, starlike in appearance at first.
The plant is very tall and upright in growth with long stems, blooms medium to late, and is very floriferous. Flowers are 2” inches in diameter.
Violet
VIOLET, a deep amaranth to pansy purple, has full, double dahlia-like flowers, 3” inches in diameter.
The plant blooms in mid-season to late fall and is rather spreading and recumbent the first year but upright and moderately tall the second year.
Red Gold
A popular and striking red mum is RED GOLD, whose stiff, pompon dahlia-like flowers, 2” inches in diameter, are scarlet to Brazil-red.
RED GOLD has sported a deeper red. The plant is medium tall, very stiff and upright, and blooms early to midseason or later.
Red Wing, Pipestone, Redwood
REDWING, PIPESTONE, and REDWOOD are all low, floriferous plants. RED WING is the earliest blooming of the three.
All have semi-double flowers; though PIPESTONE is the largest, REDWOOD is especially good in a border where a low, compact plant is desired.
Sun Red, Redhawk, Aurora and Harmony
SUNRED and REDHAWK are medium in height and carry their flowers on long stems.
The bright Brazil-red flowers of SUN-RED are semi-double and over 3” inches in diameter. They bloom late.
RED-HAWK has double, star-like flowers, dragon’s blood red to Brazil-red, which bloom by mid-August.
AURORA is a low compact type that resembles HARMONY, but blossoms are larger, more double, and bright red. It is resistant to the nematode disease.
Cultural Requirements
Like other outdoor chrysanthemums, the Minnesota ‘mums prefer well-drained, sandy loam soil. Though they will thrive in partial shade, in northern areas, they will do best if planted so they receive southern exposure, Dr. Longley says.
It is also advisable to protect them from northerly winds so they will survive the early fall frosts without much injury and give longer bloom.
Since chrysanthemums are heavy feeders, considerable barnyard manure should be incorporated in the soil, or commercial fertilizer of a 4-12-4 formula should be applied in the spring at three or four pounds per 100 square feet.
Chrysanthemums grown on poor soil have rather wiry stems and, when cut for bouquets, usually do not last long in the house.
On the other hand, heavily fertilized plants produce flowers that last much longer when cut.
Planting should be done in spring, using either small plants from rooted cuttings or divisions or suckers of old plants.
In northern areas, no present varieties are consistently hardy, though some plants will often survive winter.
Plants that have survived can be left undisturbed or may be subdivided and used for new planting.
To carry plants over winter, Dr. Longley recommends digging them in the fall and doing the following:
(1) Potting and keeping them in a cool cellar at a temperature of 32 to 42 degrees
(2) Planting in small pots after pulling off some of the suckers around the base and carrying them through the winter as house plants, topping when necessary
(3) Planting in a protected frame. If the last method is used, mulch heavily as the weather turns cold, cover the frame with a sash or boards, then with a heavy mulch of straw. One plant or more of each variety might be carried over by one of these means, leaving the others in the garden to survive if possible.
Dividing and Setting Out
Dividing and setting out the plants that have wintered over can be done in early spring at the time ordinary perennials are transplanted. Plants from rooted cuttings should be set out after hard frosts are past.
Dividing old plants that winter over in the garden need not be done every year. These plants will show better in the second year than the first. It is best not to leave a plant in the same place for more than two years without division.
Space plants at least 12 to 15 or, better still, 18 inches apart. Plants wintered over will require more room.
To make plants bushy, allow them to reach a height of about 6” inches, then pinch off the tip. Lateral branches can also be pinched to make a still larger plant with abundant flowers.
44659 by Jo Bjornson