Although roses are my favorite flowers and have been for many years, hardy garden chrysanthemums are getting to be a close second.
The first great advance in wide popularity came with the advent of the single Korean hybrids, introduced by the late Alex Cumming, of Bristol, Connecticut, which were quickly followed by double flowers of all types in a bewildering array of colorations from many breeders.
I have tried most of these and must admit innumerable ones never deserved to be introduced, although many were beauties.
With improved bloom form, a lack of hardiness and a loss of vigor occurred in many sorts.
Hardier Hybrids
Knowing that E. S, Boerner of Newark, New York, had developed a lot of hardier hybrids with Chrysanthemum rubellum blood in their makeup, I secured eight kinds in the spring of 1951 for testing purposes.
The sturdy plants were potted in good soil in 4″ pots. Growth was very vigorous and healthy, and soon, they were transplanted to the garden.
As the season advanced, it was easy to see that they had vigor and health that outclassed all other kinds.
With no spray used, not a leaf yellowed until late fall, although the Koreans suffered badly.
The first to show color was Seagull, in Iate August, with huge, white, creamy-centered flowers, over four inches across, on sturdy 2 ½ foot plants that needed no staking.
They lasted until early October when the unseasonably hot weather, up to 90° degrees Fahrenheit, finished them.
Kinds of Mums
- Swallow, a fully-double, irregular-petaled flower of soft coral, changing to buff color persisted until late November.
- Kildeer, 2 ½ feet tall, started blooming in early September; it bore arresting golden-bronze, double flowers with fringed petals changing to yellow. Furthermore, the 3-inch blooms proved to be both durable and frost resistant — in this respect equaling the pompons.
- Tanager, 3” inches across, with double crimson to cherry-red flowers, started to flower in mid-September; it did not mind the hot spell and lasted well into November.
- Canary, 2 ½’ feet tall, produced its first bloom in September, but the hot spell seemed to affect it adversely. With cooler weather and the removal of damaged blooms, it’s beautiful canary-yellow. 3 ½-inch blooms developed splendidly; the early freeze damaged them.
- Grosbeak, 3 feet in height, began to flower in September; it has one of the loveliest colors in existence — pure pink, with a bronze center. When cooler days came, both color and size improved in its 3 ½” inch flowers. Best of all, it seemed to be surprisingly frost-resistant.
- Thrush is a strong-growing double sort of indescribable peach with golden tones. It began to bloom in September, with flowers as large as Seagulls. In addition, it has distinctive silvery leaves and long stems for cutting; it is rather frost-resistant.
Top Notch Foliage
Although I like them all, if I were restricted to one sort, I would choose Goldfinch. Its vigorous 3-foot plants, with top-notch foliage, produce a lavish profusion of four-inch blooms from late September on.
What is more, it came through the hard freeze of late October, practically uninjured, and lasted until late November. While visitors admired them all, this was their prime favorite.
There are many yellows, but Goldfinch produces a spectacular display on a dull day in the fall that seems to give a joyous uplift that no words can express.
44659 by Na