Late Purple Mum ‘Miss Gloria’s Thanksgiving’
Chrysanthemum ‘Miss Gloria’s Thanksgiving’ Photographed early November. Riverbanks Botanical Garden, South Carolina. The latest and the greatest of garden mums! Billowing masses of flowers in late fall-- in a warm year, even into December. Romantic, old-fashioned and easy to share. Flowering Time: Early November through Thanksgiving. Foliage: The dull green leaves blend into the background. Growth Rate: Fast enough to be used as an annual. As a perennial, it will spread and spread. Ultimate Height: 36 inches but it sprawls. It never stands up, just gets wider and wider!
Special Care: This is a sprawling mum that needs a cut back in mid-June. Or let it clamber vine-like into big shrubs, or cascade down a slope. Every other winter, dig about a third of it out to help it rejuvenate. Thrives in heat, very tolerant of drought. Bees love it. Gardening Tips: Great in masses along drives, roads or hillsides. But, it’s only colorful in the fall, so mix with a low lantana or spring flowering bulbs. Best in full sun. In shade, it may get powdery mildew on the leaves in mid-summer, but don’t worry about that! Remove and share little plantlets each winter. Suggested Combinations: Try this with pampas grass, nandina or sprirea-- it will grow up into these each season. Great with purple sweet grass!