Are Mums Perennials In Zone 6

Anise Hyssop looks spectacular in the perennial fall garden with its tall spikes of appealing lavender flowers and an aromatic anise-like scent. Hummingbirds, bees, butterflies, and pollinating insects all find this native flower irresistible and swarm the plant when it is in bloom. Anise Hyssop plants grow inches tall, and they have toothed muted green leaves. The flower spikes, covered with hundreds of densely packed little tubular purple blooms, rise up above the foliage, announcing themselves to the world. Anise Hyssop is part of the mint family, but it doesn't have the same invasive tendencies as most mints.

The flowers bloom for months, from late summer through fall. This Hyssop is exceptionally low-maintenance and deer resistant. "Alabaster" has white flowers and light green foliage, "Blue Blazes" is a taller version with purple flowers, and "Black Adder" has reddish-violet blooms. Florist mums are large-flower plants with many possible bloom forms, from quilled to pompon to spider and more. Grown in greenhouses and used only as indoor plants, florist mums produce few, if any, underground stolens, which are necessary if the mum is to survive cold weather.

Florist mums planted outside are most likely being used as short-term bedding plants that will be removed when the blooms are spent. Garden mums, on the other hand, produce underground stolens and can survive cold better. Most garden mums are perennials in Zones 5 to 9 and much tougher than florist types.

Some cultivars are less hardy than others and can be killed by an early spring frost. Perennial Hibiscus,such as ourSummerific® series, is another class that will add color to the summer and fall garden. They actually start to bloom in mid-summer, but will continue to bloom deep into fall - October up in Michigan.

The color range is pink, white, lavender and red, with some gorgeous bicolors. The plants are quite heat tolerant and prefer consistently moist soil. In general, they are hardy in zones 4-9 and are quite large feet tall and wide. However, more compact versions such as Summerific® 'Cranberry Crush,' which is 3-4 feet tall, do exist. Asters and hardy mums are the two most traditional perennials to grow for fall flower color.

Hardy mums are about as easy to grow as a perennial gets. They come in great autumnal colors - yellow, bronze, red, white, orange, burgundy and pink and are usually hardy in zones 5-9. When buying mums be sure you distinguish between hardy and florist mums. Mums prefer a sunny spot in the garden with well-drained soil. Avoid locations where water stands after a heavy rain.

To get the best bloom on large-flowering types, pinch off all the buds in late May. This will encourage more compact growth and additional blooms. In northern parts of their range, apply a winter mulch to protect mums from sub zero temperatures. If your mums grow too large, divide them in the early spring every two to three years. After a few years some mums may begin to weaken or die out. Add new plants every year or two to keep the fall color show going.

This hardy mum was one of the most colorful plants in the trial garden last fall with masses of deep pink, button flowers. This series is comprised of 15 varieties including spider, button and decorative flower types. They add outstanding late summer and fall color, maintaining a uniform, compact habit. The plants are excellent in mass plantings and mixed borders with an abundance of flowers creating outstanding impact. The series is hardy to Zone 5, first year flowering and mature at 18 to 24 inches. The plants are larger and earlier flowering when established following the second season in established beds.

The blooms will continue until frost providing much needed color at that time of year and extended performance for the consumer. A stunningly tall native flower, Joe Pye Weed is superb in the fall perennial garden. It blooms from late summer through fall and produces massive, broad, slightly rounded clusters of dark purple or pink flowers .

The bees, butterflies, and pollinating insects go crazy for Joe Pye Weed, and it is an important food source for many of them as they prepare to hibernate or migrate. Joe Pye plants grow up to 6-8 feet tall, making them an impressive garden addition that is sure to be appreciated by all who see them. Joe Pye Weed is excellent as a background plant, centerpiece, or planted along pathways as a dramatic statement.

It is rarely bothered by insects, pests, or disease, and deer generally avoid it. As if that isn't enough, this perennial smells like sweet vanilla. Plant mums as soon as the soil warms in the spring. From late spring to mid-summer, pinch back the tips and flower buds on all shoots to make the plant bushier and prepare it for a dramatic fall show. For optimal blooming, the plants should be fertilized regularly throughout the growing season.

After the blooms fade, cut the plants down to about 6 inches, and cover them with straw or another dry mulch to protect the roots over winter. Established plants should be lifted and divided every two to three years. We usually associate Crocus blooms with spring, but here is a flower that brings some lovely crocus-like spirit to the fall garden! Autumn Crocuses aren't a real Crocus; they belong to the Colchicum/Lily family, while true Crocus flowers belong to the Iris family. However, these not-really-Crocus Autumn Crocus flowers are just as cheerful and wonderful as their spring-blooming look-a-likes. Autumn Crocus plants feature dark-green leaves that resemble tulip foliage.

The flowers are wide, goblet-shaped, and light pink or purple, or white. Autumn Crocus plants grow 8-14 inches tall and burst into bloom in early fall. Each flower bulb produces 1-10 stalks, and each stalk holds a single flower.

The clumping growth makes it look like a flower bouquet emerging from the ground. The flower stalks appear after the leaves have died off, which can be confusing since it seems like the whole plant died. Planting chrysanthemum in the spring gives the perennial plant time to establish and adapt to its new garden home. You'll easily find mums in garden centers and nurseries in both fall and spring, but planning ahead is key to successful planting.

Planting in the spring will also result in a bigger bloom the following season. Although some fall mums can survive winter if planted immediately, the odds are much better with spring-planted mums. That's what you'll get when you put a generous helping of chrysanthemums in your flower border or containers. Generally sold in ready-to-bloom form, mums provide a fall finale of color to any setting. They come in a wide variety of flower colors and shapes, from small button-sized blooms to giant corsage-worthy flowers. Mum colors include white, yellow, pink, orange, red, burgundy, cream, salmon, and bi-color.

There are also dwarf forms that grow just 8 to 10 inches tall and standards that can reach 3 feet in height. Mums are very popular with bees and butterflies, too. The best gardens have plants that add color and interest in all seasons. Spring and summer are usually pretty simple to fill with color. It can take a bit more planning to keep the garden looking great late summer into fall and winter.

However, with a bit of careful plant selection your garden can brim with interest in every season. The plants that are a bit overlooked are perennials and shrubs that flower, fruit or have showy foliage in fall. 'Walker's Low' is named for a garden in England, not for its height. It grows as high as 30" and can spread to 3 feet wide. Lavender blue flowers bloom profusely in early summer, as early as April or May in warmer climates, and then sporadically until frost. Sheering after the first heavy blooming will encourage another bloom, but the plant will not reach 30".

Sheering will also keep the foliage neat and fresh. The spicy scent is a nice addition to a vase of cut flowers, or in potpourri. In addition to attracting cats, 'Walker's Low' will attract bees, hummingbirds and butterflies. Deer and rabbits are indifferent to the plant, being scented and gray foliage. 'Walker's Low' is hardy enough for zone 4 and will tolerate sandy soil, salt, humidity and drought. Seeds are sterile, so this perennial must be propagated by division.

This compact series has been in the marketplace for many years and continues to provide outstanding color for late summer through fall. There are five colors available and Lady Susan with rich pink single blooms has the largest flower in the series. It is recommended for partial shade but was in full sun in the CSU trial and manifested a prodigious flower canopy. The series is deer and rabbit resistant and is utilized in fall perennial programs with pansies and mums.

The series matures at 18 to 20 inches and is hardy in Zones 5 through 9. Vernalization not required for flowering, but long days are imperative for flower initiation. When buying potted chrysanthemums, shop for "garden mums," which are hardier than those labeled as "florist" mums. Look for healthy, well-shaped plants with many flower buds. The more buds you see on your plant the more blooms you will enjoy in your garden. Garden mums are cold hardy and prefer full sun, but can also thrive with just morning or afternoon sun.

Mums grown in containers are a great way to brighten up a porch, patio, or front door. In warmer winter climates, they can be cut back to 6" tall after flowering. Check your local garden center to see what varieties work best in your area. Fall flowers are your reward for planting mums in the spring and allowing them enough time after pinching or trimming to reach their potential.

Just because you plant your mums late in the season, doesn't mean they won't overwinter. However, giving them a month or so before frost sets in to root into the soil well will make for a better yield of flowers. An alternative to overwintering plants in a garden bed is to dig them up and put them in cold frames to ensure survival. It's best to plant garden mums in the spring so that they have all summer and fall to develop extensive root systems before winter sets in.

You can plant in the fall, but you'll want to find good sized plants with well developed root systems. Provide them with plenty of water throughout the summer; flowering is affected by lack of water. These plants do not tolerate wet soils, especially in winter, so be sure the planting site drains well. In the spring, when new shoots appear, regularly cut or pinch them back to promote branching. Pinch about every 4 weeks, up to the beginning of July.

Mums aren't exactly "pruned," but are instead pinched throughout the growing season. This helps the plant branch out, become fuller and offer more blooms. When your plant reaches 6 inches tall in the spring, simply pinch off 1 inch of each shoot. Repeat this every 2 to 3 weeks until early summer.Deadhead spent blooms throughout the fall for an extended bloom time. Once the plant has died in the winter, resist cutting it back.

Research reveals that allowing it to die back naturally over the winter produces a stronger plant. Simply clean up the dead stems and foliage in the spring. Though we have carried traditional perennial mums in the past alongside our garden mums, we are happy to offer a new perennial mum series; Igloo Mums .

They produce nearly spherical plants from a single cutting, with no pinching, and grow 18 to 24 inches tall and 30 inches wide. Solidago is a genus of more than 100 species, mostly from North America. This cultivar is from the Wichita Mountains of southwest Oklahoma. It was impressive in the trial with an upright, clump forming habit and dense terminal flower plumes.

The tiny daisy-like flowers are profuse and create significant flower power on the upright plumes. The plant matures to at 2 to 3 feet and is hardy to Zone 4. It flowers from late August through October and is attractive to bees and butterflies. It tolerates poor soil, is drought tolerant and performs best in full sun.

I have seen this variety at arboretums and landscape sites around the country and performance has been consistent. Even though the flowering window is short, it gives outstanding fall color until frost. While the purple fountain grasses are annuals, Pennisetum 'Desert Plains' is hardy in zones 5-9.

The more sun you can provide, the happier this plant is. In mid-summer the foliage tips begin to turn deep red and by fall the whole plant is shades of gold and orange. It blooms in fall, with the large plumes emerging purply-pink and aging to tan.

It is often considered to be the best hardy Pennisetum available. 'Cheyenne Sky' is a compact form of switch grass, topping out at 3 feet tall, including flowers. It is great in landscapes and containers and works well when planted in a mass, although it does well as a specimen, too.