Hardy Chrysanthemum 'Sheffield'

One of the most popular of garden chrysanthemums. A pale single salmon-pink, one of the later varieties to bloom. This is said to have be...Read Moreen rescued from an old garden in Sheffield, MA, and re-named after the town as the original name was lost. Sometimes sold under the incorrect name 'Clara Curtis.'

Garden chrysanthemums (including the "rubellum hybrids"---a trade name rather than a botanical one) are distinctly different from the "hardy mums" commonly sold in garden centers in the fall for bedding. For garden chrysanthemums to winter over reliably, they need to be planted in the spring. They're heavy feeders and tend to exhaust the soil quickly. Clumps tend to die out in the centers. They also tend to spread rather quickly, though they're easily pulled out where not wanted. For all these reasons, they need frequent spring division with soil renewal, at least every 2-3 years.

A few times, exceptionally early springs have also triggered a spring flush of bloom, as happens routinely with mums in the South. (For the best/most bloom, it's best to prevent the spring flush by pinching back as soon as the buds appear).

Garden chrysanthemums are usually pinched back in late spring, to induce branching, to increase flower bud production, and to reduce height and the need for support. The standard advice here is to stop pinching by July 4th.

I first got this as a potted plant several years ago. Eventually I kept planting cuttings here, there and everywhere. I just love them an...Read Mored love how airy they look as cut flowers.

Would anyone have any idea as to why the ones on the south west side of my house have, for the last 2 years, come up white ? They're still pretty but I wish they would stay pink.

I bought three plants this Spring. They were barely twigs, finally planted them a month later. They grew, I neglected them, they grew, I ...Read Moreignored them, they grew...
This Fall, they were over three feet tall, and fairly bushy. The huge amount of buds appeared. The beigey-brown color made my heart sink. Hubby noticed them, commented about the color "blending" into the landscape. Heart sank further.
They opened. BREATHTAKING! Soft, dainty, clearly pink, pointy, single flowers. Cut a ton of them for Church. A month later, my Church still has them, good thing cuz Hurricane Sandy ripped the plants up BIG TIME. Cut them almost to the ground, they look like they'll be just fine next year. I want MORE.

Spreads rapidly, and can be a great filler where you need to cover lots of space. Easily pulled to keep in check.
Butterflies an...Read Mored bees love it. Though fragrance is not particularly wonderful, it looks lovely when blooms with it's peachy-pink happy heads. Does best in full sun, however it grows in shady areas of my garden, being on rather smaller side.