A Chrysanthemum plant is really an outdoor plant that has become a popular floral gift and flowering plant for home and office. It is second only to the rose as the most popular cut flower in the world. Mums are members of the Asteraceae Family which includes over 20,000 flowering species. Chrysanthemums were brought to Japan by Buddhist Monks in 400 AD and have remained a very important part of Japanese culture to this day. Mums last 3-4 weeks indoors with very little care and in almost any environment before needing to be replaced. The blooms which come in various shapes and colors can be daisy-like, pom-poms, or buttons, and may be yellow, burgundy, pink, or white. A Chrysanthemum is considered to be a slightly poisonous plant and should be kept way from small children and pets. Read more about common houseplants that can be dangerous in my book Don’t Feed Me to Your Cat: A Guide to Poisonous Houseplants NASA lists the Chrysanthemum as a plant that can cleans the air of benzene, formaldehyde, and carbon monoxide. You may also enjoy sipping Chrysanthemum tea to relax.
Plant Care
Light
Place in medium light and away from heating vents, air conditioners, and direct sun to keep blooms lasting longer.
Water
Allow the top few inches of soil to dry out slightly before you water. Green leaves become soft and droopy when the soil is dry.
Fertilizer
Indoor mums do not need to be fertilized because they only last about six weeks.
Temperature
Cool temperatures help the blooms on a Chrysanthemum last longer and high temperatures cause the blooms to quickly fade. 70°F (21°C) during the day and not below 60° F (15.5°C) at night are the best temperatures for a Mum plant.
Humidity
Mums last longer and grow better in high humidity but will do fine in basic household humidity.
Flowering
There are two different kinds of Chrysanthemum plants, florist Mums and winter hardy fall Mums. Florist Mums don’t do well when planted outside; you can try but don’t blame yourself if they die. If you’ve been enjoying a winter hardy Mum indoors, once the blooms die you can cut the plant back to 4”-5” above the soil line and plant it outside. It is almost impossible to get a Mum to bloom again indoors.
Pests
Aphids and Thrips.
Soil
Use a rich fast-draining slightly acidic soil.
Pot Size
Potted Chrysanthemum plants usually come in 4″ and 6″ pots.
Pruning
Remove flowers as soon as they start to fade or die. Prune a Chrysanthemum plant that has been growing indoors back to a few inches above the soil line before trying to plant it outdoors.
Propagation
After a florist Mum has finished blooming it should be thrown out. Once a garden Mum has finished blooming indoors, it can be planted outdoors where it will grow and spread year after year.
Clean Air Plant
Chrysanthemum plants remove benzene, formaldehyde, and carbon monoxide from the air.
Poisonous Plant Info
Chrysanthemums are slightly poisonous with a #1 toxicity level. They are toxic to dogs, cats, and horses. Mums contain Sesquiterpene, lactones, pyrethrins and other potential irritants that can cause vomiting, diarrhea, hypersalivation, incoordination, and skin problems.
FAQ
It sounds like you have Fungus Gnats. Do not allow your plant to sit in water or the soil to be too wet. Both of these will breed gnats. You can spray with the green solution, but be careful to avoid the flowers on your plant; aim for the soil.
You’re over-watering your plant. Allow the top few inches of soil to dry out and even allow the leaves droop a little before watering it.
According to NASA mums can rid the air of benzene, formaldehyde, and carbon, monoxide.
I think the leaves of your plant probably got too cold and damp and developed botrytis. Cut off the diseased leaves and move your mum to a warmer brighter location.
Nothing! Florist mums, compared to garden mums, are disposable indoor houseplants. Their blooms only last 4-6 weeks and they don’t survive when planted outdoors.