Different Kinds of Mum Flowers

The name "mum" was originally a nickname for chrysanthemums, but since then, mums have moved from the chrysanthemum genus to the dendranthema grandiflora scientific name. But to most florists, the scientific name change doesn't matter too much. The flowers are still called chrysanthemums, or just simply mums. The types of mums are differentiated by their petal arrangements, but all types come in a wide variety of colors, including pinks, purple, orange, blue, yellow, red and various color combinations.

Daisy Mums

Daisy mums are composite flowers with small disc-like flowers in the center and ray flowers projecting outward from the center. They are commonly called "daisy mums" because of their resemblance to the common daisy.

Spoon Mums

Spoon mums are the same genus and species as daisy mums, but they have a different name because of their unique petals, which are shaped like spoons at the ends.

Spider Mums

Spider mums are typically white flowers with long, tube-shaped ray petals that burst outwards from the flower's center.

Pompon Mums

Pompon or football mums are the largest flowers in the mum family. Each flower is a single head with long petals and no center, either shaped like a large ball or a bursting corsage. These mums are the inspiration for the artificial football mums worn at Texas homecoming football games.

Decorative Mums

Decorative or cushion mums have either double or semi-double petals and are the tallest of the mum family, growing to heights over 18 inches tall.

Quill Mums

Quill mums have long, straight, tube-shaped petals that resemble feather quills. They are often mistaken for spoon mums because they both have tubular petals.

Button Mums

Button mums are ball-shaped flowers, similar to the shapes of pompon mums, with smaller and tighter petals.

Resources

• Fall Time for Mums