Florist Mums

• Mums come in a variety of colors and looks.mums the word image by James Lemmon from Fotolia.com
  
  Mums that are grown indoors are considered florist mums. They come in a large variety of bloom forms and colors, which can look like a daisy or a pompon. Others may have pedals that look like small spoons or two to three rows of long petals. Pedals may curve upwards or curl downward. This means that several different varieties can be purchased and/or grown and displayed together in a way that shows off varying textures and color.
  
  

Caring for Mums

• Sunny windows can kill your mum plants.deko image by Jens Klingebiel from Fotolia.com
  
  Mums do not need a humid environment as with many plants and should be purchased when the buds begin to show full color. While mums enjoy sunlight, they should not be kept immediately in front of a sunny window. Mums cannot handle that kind of heat and the blooms will wilt, dry and crumble quickly; a cool to moderate temperature is best. Water mums often, around three to four times a week, but do not allow the pot to sit in standing water for more than 24 hours.
  
  

Interesting Mum Facts

• Chrysanthemums help clean the air.mums image by Vonora from Fotolia.com
  
  According to NASA, the mum plant is effective in removing benzene, a known carcinogen from the air. Be aware that the leaves of mums are poisonous and should be kept away from children and pets. This includes dried leaves that can fall to the floor. Most commercial florist mums are grown in the Canary Islands and China, but look for locally grown plants, as they will give you a longer bloom season.
  
  

A Throw-away Plant

• Mums are considered a throw-away plant.Papierkorb blau image by Benjamin Haas from Fotolia.com
  
  Because mums are forced into blooming by florists under very controlled conditions, it is not likely that you will ever be able to get them to bloom again. Homes are too warm overall for that. So, once a plant has lost its blooms, don't expect it to bloom again. Most people discard them after the blooms fade away. However, the plant can be kept as greenery, but can get vine-like and need to be clipped back.