Are chrysanthemums hardy?

Chrysanthemums are among the most popular garden, balcony and container plants. Above all, the lush flowers make them so popular. Many hobby gardeners and plant lovers dispose of them before the onset of winter at the latest and buy new specimens in the following year because they think they are not winter hardy. But is that so? The answer is given below.

Are chrysanthemums hardy?

There are around 40 different species, which differ in terms of summer, autumn and winter asters, among other things. The summer asters, also known as potted chrysanthemums, are not winter hardy, which is why they are one of the annual species. The autumn / winter chrysanthemums are usually perennial and accordingly winter hardy. However, they differ in the level of resistance to cold. There are specimens that can only tolerate a few degrees Celsius below freezing and others that are extremely hardy. In the specialized trade, hardy species are mostly offered as garden chrysanthemums. There are also so-called hybrids, which are special breeds by means of crossings. These are basically hardy.

Winter aster

Apart from the winter hardiness, autumn / winter asters can be recognized by their flowering time. Their main flowering time is between August and November, often until the first frost. They are available in just as gorgeous a color as a summer chrysanthemum. They bloom very profusely, grow upright as a perennial or bushy. They are ideally suited for cultivation in the plant bed because they cannot be relocated to winter quarters.

Cold protection

Despite winter hardiness, chrysanthemums should still have one Winter protection obtain. In particular, potted plants are much more exposed to the cold than their conspecifics in the garden bed because they are no thick, protective layers of earth surround and the cold from below through the bottom of the bucket penetrates.

Chrysanthemums are often sensitive to damp weather conditions in winter. It is therefore advisable to cut them almost to the ground before the onset of frost and to provide protection from the cold from around -10 ° C. Ideally, it looks like this:

• Lay out cuttings, straw, brushwood, leaves or pine needles in a thick layer on the surface of the earth
• Cover perennials with brushwood or plant fleece - protects against cold winds and twisting if not cut back
• Place potted plants on an insulating surface, such as styrofoam, wood or thick cardboard
• With buckets, make sure that excess water can run off unhindered at all times
• Cover the walls of the bucket with thick film
• Place the bucket in a sheltered place - ideally also sheltered from the rain
• A potassium fertilization in early autumn gives the chrysanthemum more resistance to the effects of cold

Hardy chrysanthemums

The selection of hardy species / varieties is extensive for chrysanthemums. It comprises over three quarters of the entire range and offers something for every need and taste.

From A - F

Chrysanthemum 'Anastasia'

• Growth height: up to 70 centimeters
• Flower color: different colors
• Flowering period: August to October
• Location: sunny
• Winter hardiness: down to -18 ° C (Zone 7)
• Special features: perennial like all autumn / winter asters, fragrant

Chrysanthemum x hortorum 'bees'

• Growth height: up to 50 centimeters
• Flower color: orange
• Flowering period: September to November
• Location: sunny to partially shaded
• Winter hardiness: down to -15 ° C (Zone 7)
• Special features: fragrant, very robust

Chrysanthemum 'Brockenfire'

• Height: 50 to 70 centimeters
• Flower color: dark red, brownish yellow in the middle
• Flowering period: September to November
• Location: sunny
• Winter hardiness: down to -18 ° C (Zone 7)
• Special features: medium fragrance intensity, very long-lasting

 Winter aster 'bronze crown'

• Height: 60 to 70 centimeters
• Flower color: brown-orange
• Flowering period: October to November
• Location: sunny
• Winter hardiness: down to -11 ° C (Zone 8)
• Special features: growing upright, undemanding

Chrysanthemum indicum 'bronze giant'

• Height: about 90 centimeters
• Flower color: orange-red
• Flowering period: late August to November
• Location: sunny to full sun
• Winter hardiness: down to -11 ° C (Zone 8)
• Special features: strongly scented, ideal as a cut flower

Chrysanthemum x hortorum 'Citronella'

• Height: about 70 centimeters
• Flower color: lemon yellow
• Flowering period: August to October
• Location: sunny
• Winter hardiness: down to -11 ° C (Zone 7)
• Special features: excellent for cutting

Garden chrysanthemum 'Fellbacher Wein'

• Growth height: up to 70 centimeters
• Flower color: dark red
• Flowering period: September to October
• Location: sunny to partial shade
• Winter hardiness: down to -7 ° C (Zone 9)
• Special features: very undemanding in the care

Chrysanthemum 'Magic Fire'

• Growth height: up to about 100 centimeters
• Flower color: bright purple
• Flowering period: September to October
• Location: sunny to partially shaded
• Winter hardiness: down to -20 ° C (zone 6)
• Special features: one of the most cold-resistant species

From F - K

Chrysanthemum 'Goldmarianne' (hybrid)

• Height: 50 to 70 centimeters
• Flower color: yellow-brown
• Flowering period: September to October
• Location: sunny to partially shaded
• Winter hardiness: down to -15 ° C (Zone 7)
• Special features: very fragrant

Garden chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum indicum 'Hebe')

• Height: between 60 and 80 centimeters
• Flower color: delicate violet-pink
• Flowering period: September to October - sometimes October to November
• Location: sunny to full sun
• Winter hardiness: down to -11 ° C (Zone 8)
• Special features: upright growth

Chrysanthemum 'autumn brocade'

• Height: about 50 centimeters
• Flower color: orange, brown-red
• Flowering period: late September to November
• Location: sunny to partially shaded
• Winter hardiness: down to -18 ° C (Zone 7)
• Special features: tried and tested, very floriferous variety

Winter aster 'Innocence'

• Height: about 90 centimeters
• Flower color: changing from pink to white, yellow in the center
• Flowering period: August to October / November
• Location: sunny
• Winter hardiness: down to -16 ° C (Zone 7)
• Special features: resembles the popular daisies

Chrysanthemum 'Isabel Pink'

• Height: between 60 to 80 centimeters
• Flower color: pink
• Flowering period: September to October
• Location: sunny to full sun
• Winter hardiness: down to -12 ° C (Zone 8)
• Special features: perennial and robust

Chrysanthemum 'Julia' (Indicum hybrid 'Julia')

• Height: between 50 and 70 centimeters
• Flower color: soft pink with a little white
• Flowering period: September to October
• Location: sunny to partially shaded
• Winter hardiness: down to -18 ° C (Zone 7)
• Special features: high flowering

Chrysanthemum 'Kleiner Bernstein' (Chrysanthemum x hortorum 'Kleiner Bernstein')

• Height: 30 to 50 centimeters
• Flower color: brown to bronze-yellow
• Flowering period: September to October
• Location: sunny
• Winter hardiness: down to -12.3 ° C (Zone 8)
• Special features: very long-lived variety

Little polar bear chrysanthemums

• Height: between 40 to 70 centimeters
• Flower color: white with a lemon yellow center
• Flowering period: September to November
• Location: partial shade
• Winter hardiness: down to -12 ° C (Zone 8)
• Special features: very stable growth

From L - O

Chrysanthemums ‘Salmon Red Cloud`

• Height: about 80 centimeters
• Flower color: red, brown-red
• Flowering period: August to November
• Location: sunny to partially shaded
• Winter hardiness: down to -11 ° C (Zone 8)
• Special features: flowers again in spring after pruning in autumn

Chrysanthemum 'Mandarine' (Chrysanthemum x hortorum 'Mandarine')

• Height: between 50 and 60 centimeters
• Flower color: semi-double in yellow-brown to orange
• Flowering period: September to October
• Location: sunny to partially shaded
• Winter hardiness: down to -12 ° C (Zone 8)
• Special features: subtle floral scent

Winter aster 'Manito'

• Height: 60 to 80 centimeters
• Flower color: pink
• Flowering period: October to November
• Location: sunny
• Winter hardiness: down to -20 ° C (zone 6)
• Special features: subtle floral scent

Chrysanthemum 'Mei-kyo'

• Height: 40 to 50 centimeters
• Flower color: violet-pink, yellow in the middle
• Flowering period: September to October
• Location: sunny
• Winter hardiness: down to -12 ° C (Zone 8)
• Special features: subtle fragrance, very robust

Chrysanthemum "hortorum 'Nebelrose" "

• Growth height: up to 120 centimeters
• Flower color: silver-pink
• Flowering period: September to November
• Location: sunny to partial shade
• Winter hardiness: up to -16 ° C (Zone 7)
• Special features: cup-like flower shape

Winter aster 'Orchid Helen'

• Height: 20 to 40 centimeters, at best up to 60 centimeters
• Flower color: pink
• Flowering period: September to October
• Location: sunny
• Winter hardiness: down to -20 ° C (zone 6)
• Special features: fragrant, conspicuous flowers, bushy and upright growth, predominantly small

Chrysanthemum x hortorum 'Ordensstern'

• Height: 70 to 90 centimeters
• Flower color: golden bronze
• Flowering period: September to October
• Location: sunny
• Winter hardiness: down to -12 ° C (Zone 8)
• Special features: needs a lot of nutrients

Chrysanthemum indicum hybrid 'Oury'

• Height: between 90 and 110 centimeters
• Flower color: dark pink
• Flowering period: October to November
• Location: sunny to partially shaded
• Winter hardiness: down to -18 ° C (Zone 7)
• Special features: excellent stability

From P - W

Chrysanthemum 'Poetry'

• Growth height: up to 80 centimeters
• Flower color: white, central yellow
• Flowering period: September to October
• Location: sunny to partial shade
• Winter hardiness: down to -12 ° C (Zone 8)
• Special features: ideal cut plant - slightly fragrant

Chrysanthemum 'Red Velvet'

• Height: between 50 and 60 centimeters
• Flower color: purple
• Flowering period: September to October
• Location: sunny to full sun - tolerates partial shade
• Winter hardiness: down to -12 ° C (Zone 8)
• Special features: very undemanding

Winter aster 'rose silver'

• Height: between 70 to 90 centimeters
• Flower color: filled in purple
• Flowering period: September to October
• Location: sunny to partially shaded
• Winter hardiness: down to -12 ° C (Zone 8)
• Special features: perennial, fast growing

Winter aster 'Rotes Julchen'

• Growth height: up to 50 centimeters
• Flower color: deep pink
• Flowering period: late September / early October to November
• Location: sunny to partially shaded
• Winter hardiness: up to - 13 ° C (zone 8)
• Special features: bush-like growth

Chrysanthemum 'Scherzo'

• Height: 40 to 60 centimeters
• Flower color: light yellow, yellow-white
• Flowering period: September to November
• Location: sunny
• Winter hardiness: down to -11 ° C (Zone 8)
• Special features: subtle floral scent, bushy growth

Autumn chrysanthemum 'Schwabenstolz'

• Growth height: up to 80 centimeters, sometimes up to 100 centimeters
• Flower color: dark red
• Flowering period: September to November
• Location: sunny to full sun
• Winter hardiness: down to -15 ° C (Zone 7)
• Special features: perennial, with good care, flowers in spring

Winter aster indicum hybrid 'Schweizerland'

• Height: between 50 and 70 centimeters
• Flower color: violet-pink, dark pink
• Flowering period: September to October
• Location: sunny to full sun
• Winter hardiness: down to -18 ° C (Zone 7)
• Special features: excellent winter hardiness

Chrysanthemum "Pacificum 'Silver and Gold'"

• Growth height: up to 55 centimeters
• Flower color: yellow
• Flowering period: August to October
• Location: sunny to partial shade
• Winter hardiness: down to -12 ° C (Zone 8)
• Special features: leaves framed in silver / gold

Chrysanthemum indicum 'Vreneli'

• Height: between 80 to 90 centimeters
• Flower color: rust-red to brown-red
• Flowering period: September to October
• Location: sunny to full sun
• Winter hardiness: down to - 12 ° C (zone 8)
• Special features: perennial and robust

Chrysanthemum Indicum Hybrid 'White Bouquet'

• Height: between 80 to 110 centimeters
• Flower color: pompon-shaped, cream-white with a delicate yellow center
• Flowering period: September to October
• Location: sunny
• Winter hardiness: down to -15 ° C (Zone 7)
• Special features: large flower balls