23 Heirloom Chrysanthemum Varieties for the Fall Garden

Chrysanthemums are the ultimate signifier of fall. Once a chilly night or two passes in late summer, you can expect to see them in plant nurseries, grocery stores, and all over your neighbors’ doorsteps. As long as you water mums properly, these low-maintenance plants will flourish all through autumn.

These low-cost, big box store mums are reliable, delightful staples for many. But did you know that you could get unique heirloom mums different from the standards you see most often? These heirlooms are available in a wider range of colors, shapes, and sizes.

‘Coral Charm’

‘Coral Charm’ has a classic pink, coral-y shade that appears to depend on growing conditions. Sometimes, these mum flowers emerge in a hue of solid, bubble-gum pink with a bit of peach in the center, while other times, they lean more towards the apricot side of coral.

Some growers report that their ‘Coral Charm’ mums lean towards a mauve-y shade of pink. This heirloom chrysanthemum variety typically blooms from late October to early November, depending on where you are located.

‘Pat Lehman’

‘Pat Lehman’ has been a popular chrysanthemum variety for decades, first bred by Pat Lehman in the 1950s, making it a timeless heirloom. It’s medium-sized, reaching about two feet in height, with average-sized blooms.

To get the most out of ‘Pat Lehman,’ plant it in full sun. Similar to ‘Coral Charm’ in color, this variety is a shade of salmon with an apricot center. Some growers find that it leans more orange for them.

‘Annie Girl’

‘Annie Girl’ is an early-blooming variety. Its flowers have a typical mum shape, but the coloring is anything but typical. The flowers have an ombre effect, with a peach interior that fades into pastel pink. Sometimes, the outer petals even fade to a shade of lavender.

The blooms on ‘Annie Girl’ can be quite large in width and their stems are strong, making ‘Annie Girl’ a great choice for cut flowers. This variety does best in zones 7 through 9.

‘Jefferson Park’

‘Jefferson Park’ has large, irregular incurve flowers that fall squarely between pink and purple. Some may call this color a deep lavender. “Irregular incurve” refers to the petals of the flowers curving upward and folding into the center. 

This mum variety has strong stems and opaque solid color. Irregular incurve types such as ‘Jefferson Park’ can grow up to four feet tall in ideal conditions, with beautiful bold flowers that stand out in bouquets.

‘Fleur de Lis’

‘Fleur de Lis’ is a large, spider-shaped cultivar with petals that are dark pink to purple. Spider mums have long, thin petals that droop down around them, resembling the legs of a spider. These flowers really stand out compared to the mums at the grocery store.

The blooms on ‘Fleur de Lis’ are also remarkable in size, likely bigger than your whole hand. They tend to bloom throughout October and require protection from early frosts.

‘Oriental Knight’

Firmly into the purple category, ‘Oriental Knight’ has a more traditional shape as well as a dark plum color. ‘Oriental Knight’ has been around for quite some time, with catalogs listing it as early as 1952. 

‘Oriental Knight’ has large blooms that shine through October and into November, depending on your climate. They have a slightly quill-like form but are still dense, with compact petals curving inward. ‘Oriental Knight’ provides dark color contrast among pastels.

‘Crimson Tide’

‘Crimson Tide’ is an heirloom cultivar with ruby petals that are a lighter orange color on their undersides. Because these blooms have an irregular incurve, much of the petals’ underside is visible. These flowers fall into the large category and make a statement.

The plants themselves are more stout and fit into containers well. These two-toned mums bloom in October and into early November. ‘Crimson Tide’ is considered a mid-season bloomer in zones where it’s hardy: 7-9.

‘Seaton’s Ruby’

‘Seaton’s Ruby’ has rich, ruby flowers that are perfect for anyone who loves dark red. The color is an autumnal staple and complements other seasonal tones. This heirloom has anemone flowers. Anemone mums have a raised, pincushion-like section in their center, surrounded by petals.

With ‘Seaton’s Ruby,’ the pincushion is heavily pronounced in the middle of large blooms. This cultivar would make a gorgeous bouquet on its own or with other warm or neutral tones.

‘Maryl’

‘Maryl’ represents yet another flower shape: spoon, in which the petals form tubes with open “spoons” at the end, surrounding a central disk. ‘Maryl’ has a yellow center, light pink tubes, and darker pink or red spoons at the end. 

These blooms are small but impactful with their variety of color. ‘Maryl’ would make an excellent addition to any autumn garden. It grows lower to the ground and makes an excellent accent or filler in arrangements.

‘Coral Reef’

One of the more popular heirloom chrysanthemum varieties online, ‘Coral Reef’ has breathtaking blooms. They’re enormous, with tight yellow petals in the center that fade to orange, coral, or pink as the petals expand and drape in their spider formation.

If you’re new to heirloom chrysanthemums, this is what you’re looking for. It’s unlike anything you’ll see at big box stores and almost unrecognizable as a mum to the average gardener. This selection puts on a show throughout October.

‘Apricot Alexis’

‘Apricot Alexis’ flowers are dainty in shape and color but bold in size. An intermediate incurve pattern forms a fairly tight bud of petals that are light apricot in color, almost looking like faded, classy cut flowers from the get-go. 

That said, these blooms are huge, and it’s hard to find such sizable blossoms in this shade of light orange. ‘Apricot Alexis’ is a popular choice that tends to sell out quickly from online vendors.

‘Bronze Fleece’

‘Bronze Fleece’ leans more orange than bronze, with a prominent orange pincushion that takes up most of the flower’s space, surrounded by light, orangey salmon petals. They have strong, sturdy stems that make them ideal for bouquets.

Known for its productivity, ‘Bronze Fleece’ puts out tons of stems per plant and is a workhorse in the garden, blossoming in October before many other popular heirlooms. The small blooms complement larger alternatives and fill in open spaces nicely.

‘Kelvin Mandarin’

When it comes to chrysanthemums, the “standard” shape most are familiar with is called “pompon.” These flowers are nearly spherical, fluffy, and often uniform in color. ‘Kelvin Mandarin’ is like the perfect pompon, with the most orangey shade of dark orange you’ve ever seen on mums.

‘Kelvin Mandarin’ are a standard, medium size, so you can grow them in arrangements or in the ground in the same manner they’re used to. You’ll be able to tell which is the coveted heirloom and which came from a typical garden center when you see the depth of color.

‘Starlet’

‘Starlet’ is an heirloom that looks different than any other variety of chrysanthemum that you’ve ever seen before. Its blooms are somewhat quilled but also somewhat spoon-like, with a yellow center and short coral quills that open into large orangey spoons.

The shape itself simply looks like it belongs to a different genus of flower altogether, and the gorgeous ombre effect of yellow to orange to pink will really stand out. Sometimes, ‘Starlet’ petals even lean towards the yellow side.

‘Kelvin Tattoo’

Like ‘Kelvin Mandarin,’ ‘Kelvin Tattoo’ offers more pompon blooms, but this time, they’re dual-colored. They emerge dark orange and then expand with yellow petals. Imagine if your typical yellow mums had rich orange centers, and you’ve got ‘Kelvin Tattoo.’

These flowers look like tiny spheres of sunshine and would complement most fall colors in the garden, in arrangements, and in bouquets. They’d offer a lovely pop of color as a filler in autumn containers.

‘Jackstraw’

Moving on to yellow options, you can’t go wrong with ‘Jackstraw,’ an heirloom variety that looks like straw, as its namesake suggests. The flowers on this cultivar are a cheery, sunny yellow, with fluffy petals that have feathery ends. The petals are almost spidery, though they’re not as sparse.

‘Jackstraw’ blossoms are medium-sized and make long-lasting cut flowers. This popular selection begins showing off in October and sometimes continues well into November with good weather.

‘Chesapeake’

If you are looking for a stunning white heirloom mum, then you can’t go wrong with ‘Chesapeake,’ which has huge, white spider blooms. They’re very uniform in color, leaning just slightly lemony in the center, with long petals that curl slightly at the ends.

These graceful blooms are the perfect neutral shade and bloom all throughout October. Expect each of these white flowers to be bigger than your hand. ‘Chesapeake’ would look lovely in a vase on your kitchen table.

‘Mt. Shasta’

A more compact white selection than ‘Chesapeake,’ ‘Mt. Shasta’ has large, irregular incurve blooms. They’re still fairly large, but their irregular incurve shape has the petals more densely clinging together in an aesthetically-pleasing, subtle manner.

If you want another white heirloom mum that’s beautiful in a more understated way, try ‘Mt. Shasta.’ This cultivar can also lean cream or yellow, especially in the center, but it’s consistently a joy to look at, blossoming through early November.

‘Moonbeam’

Want to go even more classic with your white mums? Check out ‘Moonbeam,’ which has lovely little pompon flowers in a light creamy shade. These flawless little spheres make this cultivar a reliable, versatile choice.

‘Moonbeam’ is a true white, with minimal yellowing, if any, and the flowers are a tried and true shape. It’s no wonder why ‘Moonbeam’ has been cultivated and saved over so many years; it’s the perfect white mum.

‘Kermit’

Did you know you could grow heirloom chrysanthemum varieties that are green? Enter ‘Kermit,’ a pompon-shaped heirloom with bright chartreuse blossoms. Some would say they truthfully lean yellow, though they’re a bit more green in the center. Among the dark green foliage, these flowers certainly appear Kermit-colored.

‘Kermit’ is a mid-season bloomer that first flowers in mid-October and continues until November, especially in warm and sunny climates. Add ‘Kermit’ to your fall garden to turn some heads.

‘Feeling Green’

‘Feeling Green’ has a lot in common with ‘Kermit.’ Its flowers are pompon-shaped, green, and medium-sized. However, ‘Feeling Green’ is more of a true green, while ‘Kermit’ can be kind of yellow. These blooms fade to a minty shade as they age.

Another mid-October to November bloomer, ‘Feeling Green’ would pop in an arrangement of neutral tones or among apricot and salmon pastels. ‘Feeling Green’ also provides stellar cut flowers.

‘Nightingale’

‘Nightingale’ stands out not just for its green shade but also for its spidery form. If you’re new to heirloom chrysanthemums, this variety will definitely stick out to you. It’s truly a chartreuse shade, sitting right between green and yellow.

Blooming initially in mid-October, ‘Nightingale’ would look awesome as part of a bouquet in the middle of some Halloween decorations, with its odd color, spider-like shape, and glowy hue.

‘Anastasia Green’

Lastly, ‘Anastasia Green’ is somewhere in between ‘Feeling Green’ and ‘Nightingale.’ Its blooms have a solid, neon green color, and the petals are a little bit spidery but not as elaborately as ‘Nightingale.’ These medium-to-large flowers are a few inches in diameter.

Get ‘Anastasia Green’ if you’re looking for a middle-ground green with a fun shape that isn’t too wild. Its blossoms are true to color all the way through, from the center to the edges.