13 Types of Chrysanthemums (With Pictures)

Chrysanthemums are one of the most popular flowers you can find planted in gardens worldwide. This daisy-like plant is so adored because of the countless varieties and species you can find. These plants come in various colors, petal shapes, and flower sizes, making them an ideal choice for any gardener.

While there are plenty of varieties of the chrysanthemum plant, there are a few varieties that you can typically find in a garden. In the article below, you can find all the famous chrysanthemum varieties and what makes them so unique from the rest.

The 13 Types of Chrysanthemums

1. Anemone

Anemone chrysanthemums receive their name from the sea anemone-resembling flower petals. These chrysanthemums have a raised center disc, and on the outer margin grow flat rows with petals. The center disk resembles a cushion filled with small florets. The Anemone comes in various beautiful colors, from gentle orange shades to light purple. The most common varieties of Anemone chrysanthemums are the Mancetta Sunset Anemone and the Purple Light Anemone.

2. Quilled Blooms

The Quilled Bloom chrysanthemums are a unique example of mums, with stunning petals resembling a quill. The petals on this chrysanthemum are narrow, spikey, and densely formed around the center. The Patricia Grace quill chrysanthemum variety is the best example of these thin petals, that cup at the tip. Some of the quilled chrysanthemum varieties are described as spoons because of the warped petal tips. These flowers come in many beautiful shades, while purple, pink, and orange are the most common.

3. Reflex Chrysanthemums

Reflex chrysanthemums are easily recognizable and distinctive by their overlapping petals that curve downward. This flower is shaped like a globe, made of a flat center and petals that grow outwards. The flower petals droop away from the center on some reflex chrysanthemum varieties, such as the Joyce Fountain. These flowers are usually red, with a yellow center. They can grow up to 6 inches in height and 4 inches in width.

4. Pompons

The Pompon chrysanthemum carries both a unique name and appearance. The flower petals are shaped like a globe, covering the flat center entirely. This flower starts flat when the bloom is young, but as it matures, it becomes round and can be 4 inches wide. Small pompon varieties are called button chrysanthemums, although most types tend to grow quite large. The Moonbeam variety is white and can grow up to 3 feet in height.

5. Cushion Chrysanthemums

The Cushion chrysanthemums grow to be relatively low and short, unlike other types of mums. These flowers grow close to the ground but produce wide and bushy flowers. Their name comes from the thickness of the foliage and the cushion-like flower petals. These flowers come in various colors, from creamy-white and yellow, to intense purple and red. These chrysanthemum varieties are easy to grow, which is why you can often see them grown in gardens outside pots.

6. Spider Bloom

The Spider Bloom is another unique variety of chrysanthemum flowers with distinctive flower petals resembling spider legs. The petals are narrow, long, tube-like, and can go in many directions. There is no defined center since the petals grow in each direction and tend to be curled at their very tips. Sometimes the ends will have a different color or shade than the rest of the petal, creating a gradient effect. Many shade varieties can be seen on spider blooms, such as white, yellow, rose, and bronze.

7. Spoon Blooms

Spoon Blooms have flat yellow centers and densely formed flower petals. The petals carry a distinctive look. They are long, flat, tube-like, and warp to create a spoon-like shape at the ends. The petals usually differ in color from the center of the flower, and while the center is almost always greenish-yellow, the petals can range in color. Usually, these flowers are pink, white, or a blend of these two colors.

8. Single Blooms

The Single Bloom chrysanthemum resembles daises by their shape, petal arrangement, and color patterns, although they are much bigger than daises. The center of the Single Bloom chrysanthemum is yellow, with equally spaced yellow petals around the center. Fully mature Single Blooms are tall and bushy, usually growing between 2 and 3 feet tall. Those single blooms that resemble daises are called Icy Isle, while single blooms with yellow centers and red petals are called Fire Island.

9. Decorative Blooms

Decorative Bloom chrysanthemums are flowers with small and short blooms, with luscious petals that curve towards the center. This flower’s color palette is rich, filled with bronze and amber shades. The petals are usually subtle orange color toward the tips but turn a darker red and brown in the very center. They typically grow 5 inches tall, and since they are much smaller than other chrysanthemum varieties, they can be grown in pots.

10. Incurve Blooms

Opposite to Reflex chrysanthemums, which grow petals outwards, Incurve Blooms have dense and bushy clumps of petals that grow inwards. These varieties have large flower heads and irregularly shaped petals that warp inward from their base to the tips. Because of their ball shape and fluffy appearance, these flowers are attractive in any garden. They are small, growing only up to 8 inches. One most common example of this variety is the Goldfield chrysanthemum, with the golden-yellow petals.

11. Chrysanthemum Creamist Golden

This chrysanthemum variety is an outdoor, early blooming flower. In autumn, this flower blooms gorgeous, bushy, bright yellow flowers. This flower can become up to 3.5 feet high when it is mature. They thrive in full sun and have no specific soil preferences, although well-drained soil like clay or sandy is recommended when growing this variety.

12. Thistle Chrysanthemums

The Thistle chrysanthemum got its name of the visual similarity to a thistle flower. It has delicate, narrow petals that usually grow straight up. They mostly resemble a paintbrush, although some varieties tend to grow droopy and flat. They are usually 2 inches in diameter and sometimes smaller. This type of chrysanthemum is excellent when used as a spray, as it is one of the plants that repel ticks and other insects from your garden.

13.  Unclassified Chrysanthemums

Other than all the species of chrysanthemums that are listed above, there are many examples of chrysanthemums that don’t fit into any category. These flowers grow petals that can be curly or straight, flat or tube-like, ruffled or smooth. Other than variations in shape, many unclassified chrysanthemums differ in colors and shades—they can be creamy white, yellow and orange, red and purple, and many other color patterns. Even though these chrysanthemums don’t fit in a specific category, they can add uniqueness and charm to any garden with their lively color patterns and eccentric shapes.

Conclusion

After reading about the different chrysanthemum types, you can decide for yourself which one is the ideal variety for your garden or home. You cannot go wrong whichever chrysanthemum you choose, as each type has a specific charismatic value that will make your garden stand out from the rest. These plants are easy to grow and maintain, and with minimal effort, you can achieve a stunning look in your landscape.

Featured Image Credit: GoranH, Pixabay