Photo: Jebulon / CC0 / Wikimedia Commons

Chrysanthemum

Chrysanthemum × morifolium

Also called Mum, Garden mum, Florist's chrysanthemum and 16 more names

أقحوان

The pot-and-bed mum that flowers when the days shorten: plant October to February with afternoon shade, enjoy it through the cool months, and keep it away from pets, since the ASPCA lists it as toxic.

Mature size0.3–0.6 m tall, 0.3–0.6 m spreadGrowthModerateSunSun/part shadeWaterModerate

Heat: 2 of 5

Salt: 2 of 5

Drought: 2 of 5

Shade: 2 of 5

Ease of care: 3 of 5

Use in a design Get it looked after

Also known as

The other names Chrysanthemum is sold and searched under.

English names: Mum
Garden mum
Florist's chrysanthemum
Florist's daisy
Hardy garden mum
Autumn mum
Botanical names: Chrysanthemum morifolium
Dendranthema × grandiflorum
Dendranthema × morifolium
Arabicالعربية: أقحوان
الداودي al-dawudi
Hindiहिन्दी: गुलदाउदी Guldaudi
Urduاردو: گل داؤدی Gul-e-Daudi
Malayalamമലയാളം: ജമന്തി Chamanthi
Tamilதமிழ்: சிவந்தி Sevanthi
செவ்வந்தி Sevvanthi
Tagalog: Krisantemo
Bengaliবাংলা: চন্দ্রমল্লিকা Chandramallika
Persianفارسی: گل داوودی gol-e davoodi

Season

Through the Dubai year

How Chrysanthemum behaves through Dubai's seasons, month by month.

JJan

FFeb

MMar

AApr

MMay

JJun

JJul

AAug

SSep

OOct

NNov

DDec

Avg high °C

24°

26°

29°

34°

38°

40°

42°

40°

36°

31°

27°

Cool-season planting window

Oct – Dec

Flowers through the short days

Jan – Mar

Regular feed while in bud and flower

Aphids and fungal spots in damp spells

Fades as the heat arrives

Apr – Jun

Cool-season planting window: Oct–Feb
No Dubai source gives a date. Dubai Municipality names chrysanthemum without a rotation and Plantsworld lists it under winter plants; UF/IFAS says garden mums can be bought in bloom at any time.
Flowers through the short days: Nov–Mar
UF/IFAS: mums naturally set buds and flower from fall through spring, when days are short.
Regular feed while in bud and flower: Nov–Feb
UF/IFAS advises a slow-release fertiliser; sand holds few nutrients, so a light top-up helps.
Aphids and fungal spots in damp spells: Dec–Feb
Cool, damp weather favours fungal trouble and aphids (Acacia's Dubai calendar); NC State notes contact dermatitis from the foliage.
Fades as the heat arrives: Apr–Jun
NC State advises protection from afternoon sun in warmer locations. April's mean maximum in Dubai is 33.7 °C.

The Dubai chrysanthemum's year follows the shortening days. Plants are bought in bloom or planted from October to February, in a spot with sun in the morning and afternoon shade. They flower through the cool months, when mean highs are 24–31 °C, and are fed and deadheaded to keep new buds coming. As the mean maximum climbs from 28.9 °C in March to 33.7 °C in April and 38.2 °C in May, the display ends and the plants are cleared for summer bedding such as Vinca and Portulaca. We found no source for a Dubai mum surviving the summer outdoors.

Meet the plant

Meet the Chrysanthemum

Meet the chrysanthemum, the flower that blooms because the days are getting shorter. UF/IFAS says mums naturally set buds and flower from fall through spring, which is why they have become the flower of autumn and winter wherever they are grown, and why they sit well with Dubai's cool season.

Mums come as rounded mounds studded with blooms in white, yellow, orange, red, pink and purple, in single daisy forms, tight pompon balls and even spoon-petalled types. UAE shops sell them as potted outdoor flowering plants: Plantsworld lists a chrysanthemum among its winter plants, and Greensouq sells an assorted mix of colours.

They are also one of the flowers Dubai Municipality lists for its beds: the director general named the chrysanthemum (the Arabic «الكريزانثيمم») among the varieties used across its rotations.

Chrysanthemum × morifolium is the garden or florist's chrysanthemum, a complex hybrid involving five Chinese species (NC State). UF/IFAS describes easy-to-grow herbaceous perennials that form rounded mounds, generally about 6 inches (15 cm) tall but reaching up to 2 feet (60 cm) when in flower, in single daisy, pompon and spoon forms. They make good mass plantings and cut flowers and attract butterflies. In UAE shops they are sold as flowering plants in pots.

Their timing is set by day length, not just temperature: UF/IFAS says mums naturally set buds and flower from fall through spring, when days are short, but that garden mums can be bought in bloom at any time. In Dubai, Plantsworld files chrysanthemum under winter plants, and Dubai Municipality names it among its varieties (Al Bayan, 2020) without giving a rotation. We found no Dubai source with a planting date, so this page uses the cool season, October to February, as a guide.

Sun, soil and heat are where Dubai matters. NC State advises full sun and well-drained soil, with protection from the afternoon sun in warmer locations, and UF/IFAS says to look for healthy plants with many buds, shopping for hardier 'garden mums' rather than 'florist' mums. In Dubai's sand, add compost and feed regularly, and give afternoon shade; the heat of April and May ends the display in most gardens.

Design

Where to use it

Container and doorstep colourMass plantingCut flowerCool-season accent

Use mums in pots by an entrance, in a mass of one colour at the front of a border, or as a block of colour in a bed that gets morning sun and afternoon shade. NC State advises full sun, with protection from the afternoon sun in warmer locations, and UF/IFAS says mums grown in containers are a good way to brighten a porch, patio or front door. Choose plants with plenty of buds, and plant them in free-draining, compost-enriched soil.

Marigold

Marigold's warm gold and orange echo the autumn tones of mums, and both are named in Dubai Municipality's flower lists.

Dianthus

Dianthus's low, fringed flowers edge a bed of mums and share the cool-season calendar.

Pansy

Pansies fill the foot of a pot of mums with small faces in contrasting colours, both being cool-season plants.

Care guide

How to grow it in Dubai

Watering: Summer: Not grown outdoors through summer; clear it in April or May.
Winter: Water as needed, at the base and in the morning (UF/IFAS says to water as needed); let the surface dry between waterings, since cool nights keep the soil moist.
Establishment: Keep evenly moist for the first two weeks, with light shade in warm weather.
Soil: Well-drained soil enriched with plenty of organic matter (UF/IFAS, NC State). In Dubai, mix compost into the sand and use pots with drainage holes.
Feeding: A slow-release fertiliser at planting (UF/IFAS), topped up with a light liquid feed every three to four weeks while in bud and flower.
Pruning: Deadhead to encourage new blooms (UF/IFAS). UF/IFAS also says to lightly prune mums that grow more than 6 inches tall from late spring to mid-August, which is Florida advice for keeping perennial mums compact.
Planting: Choose healthy 'garden mums' with many buds (UF/IFAS) and plant from October to February in full morning sun with afternoon shade, in well-drained, compost-enriched soil.
Pests: AphidsFungal leaf spotsWhiteflyRoot rot in wet soil

The care steps and the full guide, in WhatsApp. You pick who gets them.

Avoid these

Common mistakes

Leaving it in full afternoon sun. NC State advises protection from the afternoon sun in warmer locations.
Overwatering in cool weather. Acacia's Dubai calendar says cool nights keep the soil moist and that root rot kills more January plants than anything else.
Buying a plant with few buds. UF/IFAS says the more buds you see, the more blooms you will enjoy.
Handling it bare-handed. NC State says contact with the foliage can cause mild rashes in sensitive people.
Leaving it where pets can chew it. The ASPCA lists chrysanthemums as toxic to dogs, cats and horses.

Extra notes

Good to know

UF/IFAS advises shopping for 'garden mums', which are hardier, rather than 'florist' mums sold as short-term gifts.
Plantsworld also sells Chrysanthemum indicum as an indoor flowering plant; NC State lists C. indicum as one of five Chinese species behind the garden mum.
Wikipedia gives the other names florist's daisy, fuji mum and hardy garden mum.
The Arabic Wikipedia lists «الداودي» alongside «الأقحوان» as names for Chrysanthemum.

Toxicity: The ASPCA lists chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum spp., 'mum') as toxic to dogs, cats and horses, with sesquiterpene lactones, pyrethrins and other irritants as the toxic principles and vomiting, diarrhoea, hypersalivation, incoordination and dermatitis as signs. NC State rates it a low-severity poison for people, with stomach upset and vomiting if eaten and contact dermatitis from the foliage, and gives alantolactone and pyrethrins as toxic principles. NC State also describes the flowers as edible, but given the poison listing, do not eat bought mums.

Pros

Flowers when the days are short, so it suits Dubai's cool season (UF/IFAS)
Rounded, flower-covered mounds in a wide colour range and several flower forms
Sold in flower in pots by UAE shops and nurseries
Good for mass planting, pots and cut flowers (UF/IFAS)
Named among Dubai Municipality's bedding varieties

Cons

Toxic to dogs, cats and horses (ASPCA)
Needs afternoon shade in a warm climate (NC State) and fades with Dubai's spring heat
No Dubai source gives a planting window
Can cause contact dermatitis, so wear gloves (NC State)

FAQ

Common questions

When should I plant chrysanthemums in Dubai?

We found no Dubai source with a date. Mums flower naturally in short days from fall through spring (UF/IFAS), and Plantsworld lists them under winter plants, so October to February is a sensible window. Garden mums can also be bought already in bloom.

Do chrysanthemums need full sun in Dubai?

NC State advises full sun with protection from the afternoon sun in warmer locations. In Dubai, give them morning sun and afternoon shade.

Can chrysanthemums survive a Dubai summer?

We found no source confirming it. Dubai's mean maximum is 38.2 °C in May and 41.9 °C in August, so treat mums as cool-season plants and replace them in April or May.

Are chrysanthemums safe for pets?

No. The ASPCA lists chrysanthemums as toxic to dogs, cats and horses, with vomiting, diarrhoea, hypersalivation, incoordination and dermatitis as signs.

What is the difference between a garden mum and a florist's mum?

UF/IFAS says garden mums are hardier than florist mums, which are sold as short-term gifts. For a bed or pot that has to last the season, buy a garden mum with many buds.

Not sure how it suits your garden?

Ask on WhatsAppAsk about Chrysanthemum on WhatsApp

Sources

Last reviewed 2026-10-29 by Plant Guide horticulture desk.

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