Few flowers signal fall’s arrival more than the cheerful chrysanthemum, or mum, said University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein, in an extension press release. Mums’ long-lasting blooms put on a colorful display for weeks when other flowers have called it quits for the season.

Mums are one of the oldest known flowers, Trinklein said. The Chinese raised them for ornamental and medicinal purposes more than 2,000 years ago. In ancient Japan, families used a mum insignia on family crests to boast of prominence. Warriors etched images of mums onto their swords. In the eighth century, the emperor placed chrysanthemum as Japan’s official seal. In other cultures, they serve as grave decorations. It is November’s official flower, reports the extension office.

Trinklein noted that new varieties developed by plant breeders have made mums more popular than ever.

“The Belgium or European garden chrysanthemum, a relative newcomer, is a popular choice because of its spectacular size and floral display. It is common for Belgium mums to produce more than 500 flowers on one plant. Mum lovers delight in their improved growth habit and garden performance,” reports the extension office.

Mums are short day plants that need long periods of darkness to induce flower formation, Trinklein said. Most modern cultivars begin to show color mid-September to early October, depending on cultivar and temperature.

The following are tips from the extension office to help care for fall mums.

• Choose plants that are beginning to show color. These produce blooms for the longest time. Expect bright colors even after light frosts. Colors fade after heavy frosts.

• Most potted mums are grown in a soilless growing medium high in organic matter. Plant in well-drained soil in garden beds or borders. The roots of fall-planted mums find it hard to adapt to heavy garden soils. After transplanting, keep plants adequately watered to encourage the establishment of a good root system.

• Prevent winterkill by mulching the crown of plants after the tops have faded and been removed.

For more information, visit the National Chrysanthemum Society’s website at mums.org.