are mums annuals or perennials?

Question

if i plant my mums now will they come back next spring

Answer 1

I think alot of people have touched on this, but it would help to know where you were, or what USDA hardiness zone you lived in. We could answer your question better.

That being said, I worked for a major retail garden center in my area. We sold a whole lot of mums every fall (10's of thousands). But how to categorize them? It's true, mum's are typically categorized as perennials. But planted in the fall, they might not have time to root in sufficiently to survive the winter (November in Michigan is not an hospitable month).
Or as someone else said, if you keep them in a pot, until the last minute in the fall, they are not going to come back reliably.

Conversely, if you pamper them, and mulch them, they could. Or if you had a mild micro-climate.

So our balance was thus: We called them 'Fall Mums' or 'Garden Mums'. We avoided the words hardy or perennial, because we couldn't guarantee it (too many variables). I would guess, that over 50% of my customers used them as seasonal or porch decor, then threw them away after the flowers faded. Few had expectations that the plant would survive the winter.

I hope that this helps you

Answer 2

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
are mums annuals or perennials?
if i plant my mums now will they come back next spring

Answer 3

Mums are at least a perennial. I have had them last for years by just trimming back after they finish blooming. They bloom in the fall. Enjoy the blooms then trim way back to the ground. During the year if you keep pinching off the new growth they will not get too tall and will once again bloom in the fall on shorter stems.
Watch for pests on the new growth. Best of luck.

Answer 4

Mums are perennials, the will grow back next spring if they survive the winter. It takes some care and trimming through out the year to have them ready for fall blooming, but the effort is rewarding year after year.

Answer 5

Hardy Mums

Answer 6

Mums are perennials.

Answer 7

Only some mums are perrenials. I live in southern Canada, and even with mulch some varieties do not come back. I have two ones that have, and about three or four that died over winter over the years. I agree with the answerer that said to look for ones labelled as hardy.

Answer 8

Depends on where you live and how you plant them.

I live in Michigan...cold cold winters. Most mums here are planted as perennials, but I believe they are marked HARDY mums.

Check the lable see if its hardy and see what climate zone you are in. You may have to mulch them if you are in a cold zone. IF in a warmer climate, you might have to water late into the year before it goes dormant.

Answer 9

Most varieties are perennials. They do come back every year. Mine do...however, remember to 'deadhead" them often (pinch off the dead blooms) so they will continue to bloom...too many dead blooms drain the plant of energy to make more blooms.
Some varieties can get quite large, also...be sure you have an adequate space for them (I learned this the hard way!)

Answer 10

mums are perennials and should be planted in a sunny spot. in the spring, make sure you cut the tops back almost to the ground .