Chrysanthemum

Chrysanthemum (Mum) is a large family of Daisy like flowers. The Mum comes in a variety of colors with some blooming quite early helping to stretch the season from midsummer to late fall.
The Mum needs full sun with well draining soil. To encourage a well rounded plant  pinch the plant back when the plant has developed 6 to 8 leaves. As the pant continues to grow pinch off any side shoots. You may need to pinch the entire plant once again but you should stop all pinching by July 1.

All Mums are easy to grow from cuttings. You can take the cutting in late spring or early summer. You can keep your Mums healthy by dividing the clumps every one or two years. The Mum is a perennial in zones 5 to 9. Because there are so many selections your local garden center should be able to tell you what grows best in your area. Something to remember: because Mums are grown in a greenhouse to bloom at a particular time the Mum you purchase may not bloom at the same time in your garden the next season.