Chrysanthemum, ‘Clara Curtis’

Finding a hardy, carefree Chrysanthemum that grows in western Rocky Mountain gardens seems an impossible dream, but Chrysanthemum, ‘Clara Curtis’ makes it possible. Fortunately ‘Clara Curtis’ descends from an older more vigorous stalk, Korean Chrysanthemum, that does not require the constant attention of pinching back numerous times a year along with an intense regular fertilizing schedule.

This is not the typical, commercially-grown, cellophane-wrapped, potted mum displayed on Memorial Day. While Memorial Day Mums are tempting to the gardener because they are very pretty with their full mounds of colored blooms, they are hot-house annuals and have not been grown for the garden. Rarely will they survive a western winter, but if they do the gardener will face a summer season of constant pinching or will end up with a tall, gangly flop.

On the other hand, Chrysanthemum, ‘Clara Curtis’ is an easy care perennial that will wind its way through a garden if not pinched and brings the freshness of its clean pink daisy blooms for a long season of bloom. There is not a perennial that blooms through ‘Clara’s long season that does not look better with these Clar Curtis growing alongside of it. The blue of Veronica, the rusts of Helenium and the white and pink shades of Tall Garden Phlox are softened and tied together with this beautiful companion at their sides. Chrysanthemum, ‘Mary Stoker’ is a taller, hardy, Korean Mum for western gardens that blooms in a buff-straw color. Planting these hardy carefree perennials in your garden adds to the fall’s relaxed season of gardening.