Mums are everywhere in fall, from garden centers and home-improvement stores to grocery stores and other retailers. But with so many sizes, colors, and stages of bloom available, how do you choose the right one?

Start by thinking about what you want from the plant. Choose a mum with lots of open flowers if you need immediate color for a party or fall display. Select one with a few open flowers and plenty of unopened buds if you want the show to continue developing after you bring it home. If you plan to add your mum to the garden, look for a plant labeled as a hardy or garden mum.

Decide What You Want from Your Mum

The best mum is not necessarily the one with the most open flowers. Two questions decide what to buy: How soon do you need it to look its best, and are you keeping it in a pot or planting it in the garden?

If timing is your main concern, jump to; Should You Buy Mums in Bud or in Bloom? below. If you want the plant to come back next year, here's what to look for.

Choose a Hardy Mum for Your Garden

If you want to enjoy your mum beyond its fall display, look for a plant labeled hardy mum or garden mum. Many tags won't use those words directly — instead, check for a listed Cold Hardiness Zone and compare it to your location. (Not sure of your zone? Look it up by zip code at planthardiness.ars.usda.gov.) If your zone falls within that range, the plant is built to return as a perennial. If the tag doesn't mention a zone look at the temperature. If the tag says 40 degrees is the coldest the plant can tolerate it is an annual and will not survive freezing temperatures.

Fall is an excellent time to plant perennials. The cooler air reduces stress on the plants, while the soil remains warm enough to encourage root growth. Plant your mum early enough in the season for its roots to begin establishing before the ground freezes.

Choose a site with full sun and well-drained soil. Plant the mum promptly rather than leaving it in its nursery pot through winter, then water it thoroughly and continue checking the soil while the roots establish. 

Should You Buy Mums in Bud or in Bloom?

Mums may look dramatically different depending on where they are in their flowering cycle. Understanding those stages can help you choose the right plant for your plans.

Mostly Open Flowers

Best for: Immediate impact

A mum covered in open flowers is ready to perform. Choose this stage when you need a colorful plant now, particularly for an upcoming gathering, seasonal display, or special event.

Turn the pot before putting it in your cart. Mums are often displayed close together, so the side facing the aisle may look full while the back has a gap or flattened area. Choose a plant that looks attractive from the direction that will be visible in your display.

Because most of its flowers are already open, the plant may not hold its peak appearance as long as one purchased at an earlier stage.

A Few Open Flowers with Buds Showing Color

Best for: The best balance of immediate and developing color

This is generally the safest choice if you're not sure — you can see enough open flowers to confirm the color and you can enjoy blooms right away, while the plant still has numerous buds waiting to open — so you're not relying on the plant tag to know what you're getting.

Mostly Closed Buds

Best for: Shoppers willing to wait for the show

A mum with mostly closed buds has more of its flowering display ahead of it, but it will not provide the same immediate impact as a plant already in bloom. If the exact flower color matters, choose a plant with at least one or two open flowers or buds beginning to show color. Plant tags can be mislabeled or moved accidentally, particularly when many mums are displayed closely together.

How Can You Tell Whether a Mum Is Healthy?

Do not judge a mum only by its flowers. A quick inspection of the entire plant can help you avoid bringing home one that is damaged or already under stress.

Check the Overall Shape

Choose a plant that looks full and balanced. Growth should be distributed around the pot without large bare areas, broken sections, or a dramatically flattened side.

Turn the pot and view the plant from several directions. This is especially important if you plan to display it where more than one side will be visible.

Look Beneath the Flowers

A thick canopy of flowers can hide much of the plant. Gently separate the blooms and look beneath them. Check for: 

• Healthy foliage
• Firm stems
• Excessive yellowing or browning
• Dead leaves collected in the center
• Obvious signs of insects or disease

A few imperfect leaves do not necessarily make a plant a poor choice, but widespread damage or discoloration can indicate that the plant has been under stress.

Check for Broken Stems

Mum stems can be brittle, particularly when the plants are packed tightly together or handled frequently.

Inspect the outside and center of the plant for substantial breaks. A small broken tip is unlikely to spoil the display, but several damaged branches can leave a noticeable gap. Flower buds on a completely broken stem will not contribute to the plant’s display.

Check the Potting Mix

Choose a plant that looks hydrated, firm, and fresh. Avoid mums that are badly wilted or sitting in standing water.

The potting mix should feel moist but not saturated. A plant that is severely dry or has been sitting in soggy soil has already experienced stress, which may affect how it performs after you bring it home.

When Is the Best Time to Buy Mums?

The best time to buy mums depends on your goal.

If you are decorating for a particular event, work backward from when you need the display to look its best. Choose more open flowers when the occasion is close. Choose a plant with more buds when you have time for its color to develop.

Also consider the weather. Open flowers generally progress more quickly during hot early-fall weather. If temperatures are still high, selecting a plant with more unopened buds leaves more of its flowering display ahead. How long the display lasts also depends on your climate: farther north, mums typically bloom for 4 to 8 weeks; across most of the country, plan on 4 to 6 weeks; in hot climates like South Florida, expect a shorter run of about 2 to 3 weeks.

If you are buying a hardy mum for the garden, bring it home and plant it early enough in fall for its roots to begin establishing before the ground freezes. Do not wait until the end of the season simply because the plants may still look attractive in their pots.

What Is the Difference Between Garden Mums and Florist Mums?

Mums are commonly grouped into two basic categories: garden mums and florist mums. Knowing the difference is especially important if you want the plant to return next year.

Garden Mums

Garden mums, also called hardy mums, are bred for outdoor growing. They make colorful additions to beds, borders, containers, porches, and patios.

Hardy garden mums are perennial in USDA Zones 5–9. For the best garden performance, plant them in full sun and well-drained soil.

Florist Mums

Florist mums are grown primarily as gift plants and temporary displays. You may find them in decorative containers in florist shops, grocery stores, and indoor plant departments.

They provide beautiful seasonal color, but they should not be substituted for a labeled hardy garden mum when your goal is a perennial garden plant.

Read the Plant Label

Do not depend only on where the mum is displayed in the store. Read the plant label and look for:

• The words hardy mum or garden mum, if listed
• A stated USDA Cold Hardiness Zone range— compare it to your location to see if the plant is built to survive winter there (look up your zone by zip code at planthardiness.ars.usda.gov)
• If the tag doesn't name the cold hardiness zone then look at the lowest temperature tolerated. If the low temperature the plant can survive is 40 degrees the plant is an annual and will not survive freezing temperatures.
• Outdoor growing information
• Any variety-specific planting instructions

The label is your best guide to whether a plant is intended for temporary display or perennial garden use. If the hardy/garden mum wording isn't there, the cold hardiness zone range is the detail to trust.

What Should You Do After Bringing Your Mum Home?

Your mum may be moving from a nursery to a retail display and then to a new environment at your home. Give it the right conditions promptly to help protect your purchase.

If You Are Keeping Your Mum in Its Pot

Place the mum outdoors in full sun for best flowering. Check the potting mix regularly and water when the top begins to feel dry.

Water thoroughly so the entire root ball receives moisture, then allow the excess to drain. Do not leave the plant standing in water or saturated potting mix.

Container-grown mums may need more frequent watering during hot, sunny, or windy weather, so check the plant rather than relying on a fixed weekly schedule.

Remove faded flowers as they appear to keep the display looking tidy.

If You Are Planting Your Mum in the Garden

Plant a hardy mum promptly in a site with full sun and well-drained soil.

Gently remove the plant from its container and place it at the same depth it was growing in the pot. Water thoroughly after planting and monitor the soil while the roots establish. Keep the soil from becoming excessively dry, but avoid locations where water collects and keeps the root zone saturated.

Give the plant enough room to grow. Hardy mums can spread as they mature, so avoid crowding them tightly between other perennials.

Here is a helpful video about planting perennials.

Quick Answers About Buying Mums

Is It Better to Buy Mums with Open Flowers or Closed Buds?

A mum with a few open flowers and plenty of unopened buds usually offers the best balance. The open flowers confirm the color right away, while the remaining buds keep more of the display ahead — so the plant stays fresh-looking longer than one that's already in full bloom. Choose a plant covered in open flowers only if you need immediate color for an event; choose mostly buds if you're willing to wait and want the longest bloom time.

Can You Plant the Mums Sold in Fall?

Yes. Choose a plant labeled as a hardy or garden mum, confirm that it is suited to your USDA Hardiness Zone, and plant it early enough in fall to begin establishing roots before the ground freezes.

Are Mums Annuals or Perennials?

Hardy garden mums are perennials in USDA Zones 5–9. Florist mums are grown primarily for temporary or gift displays. Check the plant label to determine which type you are buying. The plant label may not always say "hardy" or "garden mum" directly — check for a listed Cold Hardiness Zone instead, and compare it to your location to confirm which type you're buying.

How Can You Tell What Color a Mum Will Be?

Choose a mum with at least a few flowers open or buds beginning to show color. This lets you confirm the shade rather than relying entirely on a plant tag that may have been moved.

Should You Buy a Wilted Mum?

A slightly dry mum may recover after watering, but a badly wilted plant has already been stressed. Choose a plant with firm foliage, sturdy stems, and potting mix that is moist but not saturated.

Choose the Right Mum for Your Fall

The best mum is the one that fits your plans. Choose plenty of open flowers for immediate impact, or look for more unopened buds if you want the display to continue developing after you bring it home. Check beneath the flowers for healthy foliage and sturdy stems, and read the plant label carefully if you want a hardy mum that can become a lasting part of your garden.

Once you have chosen your plants, explore ways to decorate porches, patios, balconies, and entryways with mums.