Chrysanthemums are the quintessential fall flower, bringing a blaze of vibrant orange, red, and yellow to your garden during the cooler months. However, they aren’t the only plants that can thrive in brisk weather. In fact, many grasses and flowers can further highlight the beauty of your mums.
Before adding more plants to your garden, it’s essential to know which ones will be the best companions for your mums. Here are a few that the experts recommend.
Lamb’s Ear
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Lamb’s ear (Stachys byzantina) is delightfully soft to the touch and serves as a wonderful juxtaposition to your fiery mums. “Its silver foliage is the perfect foil for bright mum blooms, adding texture and a cooling color contrast,” adds Kelly Funk, president of Jackson & Perkins.
It’s also easy to grow, and can thrive even in poor soils.
Zones: 4 to 8Size: 6 to 24 inches tall x 12 to 36 inches wideCare requirements: Full sun to partial shade; well-drained soil
Black-Eyed Susan
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Black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia hirta) are “perfect for fall containers and cutting gardens,” notes Funk, so they’re natural mum companions. These flowers, like mums, have vibrant, colorful yellow blooms, making them a great choice if you want a vibrant fall garden.
“Both attract pollinators,” Funk adds. “Black-eyed Susans bloom earlier and overlap with mums, creating season-long color.”
Zone: 4 to 9Size: 24 to 36 inches tall x 12 to 24 inches wideCare requirements: Full sun; well-draining soil
Pansies
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Pansies (Viola) are another “cool season superstar,” according to Niki Jabbour, founder of Savvy Gardening. So naturally, they pair well with mums.
Since these flowers are available in a wide range of colors—from purple to yellow—they can also transform your flower garden, either contrasting with your mums or blending in.
Zones: 3 to 8Size: 6 to 12 inches tall x 4 to 12 inches wideCare requirements: Full to partial sun; well-drained soil
Ornamental Cabbage
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Ornamental cabbage or kale provides beautiful foliage that looks especially striking when planted alongside mums. “[They] last from fall and into early winter,” says Karen Musgrave, a marketing associate at Hicks Nurseries. “[The] gorgeous color deepens until the first hard frost.”
The bold purple shades in particular add an elegant pop of color.
Croton
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Croton is often considered a houseplant, but it can be grown outdoors too—it’s a particularly great option if you plan on growing mums. Like these flowers, croton “puts on a show of color in shades of yellow, orange, red, and burgundy, which is perfect for fall,” says Musgrave.
Zones:Size: 3 to 5 feet tall x 3 to 5 feet wideCare requirements: Full sun; loose, well-draining soil
Ornamental Grasses
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Ornamental grasses are a great way to add height and texture to your fall garden. “Their airy seed heads create a backdrop that highlights mums,” says Funk. “Grasses [also] thrive into winter, giving interest after mums fade.”
Coral Bells
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Purple pairs well with mums, bringing out the best in both color families. Coral bells also have “rich foliage,” notes Funk, “filling in when mums aren’t in bloom.”
“Together, they create a layered, multi-season display,” she says.
Zones: 4-9Size: 8 to 18 inches tall x 12 to 24 inches wideCare requirements: Partial to full sun; well-draining soil
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