The best hardy chrysanthemums for the garden

The hardy chrysanthemum has suffered from the persistent myth of being a fussy and tender perennial, but in the past 20 years or so, chrysanthemums have been re-established as a mainstay of the autumn garden.

Chrysanthemums probably reached peak popularity in the UK before the Second World War, largely down to the work of master nurseryman, Amos Perry. At his Hardy Plant Farm in Middlesex, Perry developed many celebrated chrysanthemum cultivars in the inter-war years, some of which are still in cultivation.

The development of the mass-produced all-year-round chrysanthemum, synonymous with forlorn petrol station forecourts offerings, has done little to promote the garden-worthiness of the genus. Modern breeding techniques tend to focus on compactness and bright colours over longevity and many new chrysanthemum cultivars struggle to live up to the garden-worthiness of their older counterparts, but that is beginning to change.

Hardy chrysanthemums are ideal for bringing a pop of colour to the garden when many other flowers are fading. The single varieties provide late nectar for pollinators and make excellent and long lasting cut flowers, too.

How hardy are chrysanthemums?

Although the RHS has given most a hardiness rating of H4, meaning they are hardy to temperatures of around -5°C to -10°C, the average for a UK winter, I have seen many hardy chrysanthemums survive winters down to -20°C.

When do hardy chrysanthemums flower?

Hardy chrysanthemums flower in late summer and autumn. The pleasing mass of silvery foliage is an excellent foil for other plants earlier in the year and as the frosts begin to nip there are few flowers for which a gardener can feel so grateful.

How to grow hardy chrysanthemums

Where to plant hardy chrysanthemums

Most chrysanthemums are well suited to a sunny border - bearing in mind that a spot in full sun in July may not be sunny in November (chrysanthemums can be covered in butterflies and bees late in the year, but the insects need the warmth of the sun). They are adaptable to a range of neutral to alkaline soils – although they prefer not to sit wet during the winter and resent drying out in the summer. A good feed of organic fertiliser in spring and a mulch layer to retain moisture will set a chrysanthemum up for the rest of the year.

When to plant hardy chrysanthemums

Rooted cuttings or young plants become available in spring, often online or via mail order. They need to be grown on in a greenhouse or on a sunny windowsill until they are large enough to plant out in spring, after any risk of frost has passed.

You can buy established young plants in early to mid-summer. These can be planted straight into borders and pots and will flower later in the season.

Mature plants in flower are available at garden centres in late summer and early autumn for instant impact in a border. Ideally, don't plant later than mid-September, so that they can establish before a cold, wet winter.

How to care for hardy chrysanthemums

Mulch after planting with well rotted compost or manure.

Ensure that the soil doesn't dry out around your chrysanthemum plants – but don't let it become waterlogged, as chrysanthemums do not enjoy sitting in waterlogged soil.

In early summer, pinch out or 'stop' your chrysanthemums to encourage them to branch out and produce lots of flowers. Once they've reached around 20cm tall, remove the main growing point; you can also do the same to the tips of the sideshoots.

Feed regularly with a liquid fertiliser from late spring until the buds appear.

Mulch in autumn to protect the roots over winter.

Stake taller cultivars, which can be flattened by strong winds. Shorter types are usually all right, especially if they are supported by the plants around them.

Once the plant has finished flowering in late autumn, cut the whole plant down to 20cm from the base. 

Propagate in spring. See our guide on how to propagate chrysanthemums.

Chrysanthemum pests and diseases

Watch out for slug damage.

Eelworm can cause leaves to go black and drop off in very wet weather. But this is the worst case scenario: if you buy from a reputable seller, plants shouldn’t have it. The older cultivars have some built-in resistance.

13 of the best hardy chrysanthemums to grow

Chrysanthemum ‘Brennpunkt’

A glorious, almost dahlia-like bloom of blood red chrysanthemum. A vigorous plant with fully double flowers that remain somewhat exposed in the centre. This chrysanthemum cultivar name translates as ‘focal point’ and, with its tall yet sturdy stems, that is something it certainly provides among the browns of autumn. 80cm.

Chrysanthemum ‘Coup de Soleil’

A wonderful and long-lived chrysanthemum selection from French nurseryman Thierry Delabroye. Large, half-double flowers of bronzy orange, fading to a warm yellow at the base and tip of each petal appear in September and last until November. 70cm.

Chrysanthemum ‘Bienchen’

Introduced in 1974, this chrysanthemum's name translates as ‘little bee’, which perfectly describes the golden yellow pompoms marked with a reddish brown heart in September. This cultivar performed well in German perennial trials with its compact and very branching habit. 70cm.

An old French chrysanthemum cultivar that came to De Hessenhof via a Belgian plant fair. The soft apricot-orange petals fading to a warm yellow heart are deserving of its name. This extremely long-flowering cultivar can produce blooms as early as the beginning of August and will continue to the frosts. 80cm.

Much admired for its persistent double blooms of glorious, rusty orange produced on tall stems. A very traditional garden chrysanthemum that has survived the hardest of winters. 80cm.

A strong, double red chrysanthemum with smallish flowers about 4cm across, held on sturdy stems. This cardinal red makes a big impact among blue asters and the browns of the fading blooms of ornamental grasses. September to October. 70cm.

A relatively new chrysanthemum release from Eugen Schleipfer in 2015, with nearly spherical, double flowers of intense red edged with golden yellow. The name means pomegranate and each petal ends in a distinctive point. Reportedly extremely hardy. 60cm.

A sport of the pink Chrysanthemum ‘Mei-Kyo’ whose complex, bronze pompoms, a couple of centimetres across, smother well-branched and sturdy plants. 80cm. AGM. RHS H4.

Discovered high in Romania’s Carpathian Mountains by nurseryman Wolfgang Kautz, this creamy-white, cultivar has helped reignite interest in hardy chrysanthemums. 60cm.

Another good pink chrysanthemum but with semi-double blooms and a white halo in the centre. A sturdy perennial with tidy green foliage, which holds on to its flowers late in November. 60-70cm.

A fantastic single chrysanthemum with deep petals. Compact but benefits from pinching out in June to provide an even denser display from October to November. 40-60cm.

An unusual pale pink chrysanthemum for so late in the year it produces large flowers on a branching, compact plant. October to November. 60cm. RHS H4.

A bright-yellow single – sometimes producing a double row of petals – introduced by Christian Kress at Sarastro Nursery and named for the woman who sent him the plant from Darmstadt in Germany. Low growing with masses of relatively early flowers. Does well in part shade. August to October. 40-60cm.