Florist’s Mum

Common name: Florist’s Mum
Scientific Name: Chrysanthemum morifolium of Compositae(composite) family

Native to China and Japan, Florist’s mum provide brilliant display of colours. They are used to provide splashes of colours. Commercial growers apply dwarfing chemicals and manipulate day/night cycle to induce flowering at a given time. As a result small plants with large flowers are available all year round.
Pot Mum's are normally only temporary guests in our homes, the duration of their stay usually mirrors how long they are in bloom, which in ideal conditions is around 6 - 8 weeks.

Maintainance

Benefits

Florist’s Mum is one of the best flowering or seasonal plants for removing formaldehyde, benzene and ammonia from the atmosphere

• During growing season, provide adequate water to keep the root ball slightly damp.
• Feed with a complete fertilizer weekly.
• Aphids and spider mites are a risk when the air is too warm or dry.
• Unfortunately these plants are mildly toxic and an irritant to cats and dogs

Repotting and propogation

This isn't needed as it won’t be sticking around long enough to outgrow the pot it arrives in.
Hormones are used by the Nurseries to stunt the growth of the plants you buy from the shops, so anything you "propagate" will revert to the natural tall appearance state that you usually see in the garden "varieties".

There isn't really any point therefore trying to multiply the plant for indoor use, however if you perhaps want to grow it outdoors on mass, say because you like the flower colourings or design of them then collect the seed and plant it in springs. It can also be propagated by cutting the stem section off the main plant and remove the last pair of leaves near the cutting.

Where to plant it?

Keep it in an are which recieves morning sun but is shady after noon.You can keep them outside if the tempretures are mild.