When Do Chrysanthemums Bloom? A Complete Guide to the Latest Blooming Seasons

The chrysanthemum is the third of China's top ten famous flowers, one of the Four Gentlemen of flowers (plum blossom, orchid, bamboo, chrysanthemum), and also one of the world's four major cut flowers (chrysanthemum, rose, carnation, gladiolus). Because of its noble character of blooming proudly in the cold and snow, Tao Yuanming wrote the famous line, “Picking chrysanthemums by the eastern hedge, I gaze leisurely at the southern hills.” The Chinese have the custom of viewing chrysanthemums and drinking chrysanthemum wine on the Double Ninth Festival. Let's take a look below at when chrysanthemums bloom!

When Do Chrysanthemums Bloom?

Chrysanthemums generally bloom from September to November. There are many kinds of chrysanthemums, grown across a very wide range of regions, and they do not bloom at a fixed time, but most bloom in autumn, though there are also chrysanthemums that open in summer and winter. Under normal natural conditions, they can be divided by blooming season into summer chrysanthemums (blooming from May to September), autumn chrysanthemums (blooming from October to November), and cold chrysanthemums (blooming from December to January), generally lasting about 20 to 35 days. But through the cultivation of horticulturists, by changing the daylight conditions, there are also May chrysanthemums that bloom in May, July chrysanthemums that bloom in July, and August chrysanthemums that bloom in August.

Classification of Chrysanthemum Blooming Seasons

1. Summer chrysanthemums: they bloom once each in the 5th and 9th months of the lunar calendar every year. With protected cultivation, they can now bloom once each in May and October of the solar calendar.

2. Autumn chrysanthemums: their blooming season is divided into early and late. Early chrysanthemums bloom in mid to late September and are medium-sized chrysanthemums, while late chrysanthemums bloom from October to November and are large-sized chrysanthemums.

3. Cold chrysanthemums: cold chrysanthemums, also known as winter chrysanthemums, bloom from December to January of the following year.

Why Don't Chrysanthemums Bloom?

1. Unsuitable environment: chrysanthemums come from different places of origin and have different ecological habits. Some like light and heat, some like partial shade, some like warmth, and some like coolness. If their living conditions are not met, it can easily cause them not to bloom.

2. Excessive water and fertilizer: during the growing period of chrysanthemums, excessive water and fertilizer can easily cause excessive vegetative growth, with nutrients mostly going to the vegetative organs of roots, stems, and leaves, while the flowers, fruits, or seeds lack nutrients, affecting flower bud formation.

3. Lack of fertilizer and water: during the growing period of chrysanthemums, a lack of fertilizer and water will lead to poor plant growth and can easily result in fewer blooms, and even if they manage to bloom, the quality is very poor.

4. Room temperature too high: for chrysanthemums, too high a room temperature in winter can affect dormancy or cause them to sprout and leaf out too early, consuming nutrients, and the next year they will grow weakly, causing them not to bloom, or to have small flowers or drop them.

5. Attack by pests and diseases: during the growing period of chrysanthemums, damage from pests and diseases affects nutrient accumulation, leading to stunted growth and causing flowers and buds to drop.

6. Improper pruning: if chrysanthemums are not shaped and pruned during the growing period, this not only affects their appearance but also consumes a large amount of nutrients, thereby affecting flower bud formation and causing them not to bloom or to bloom sparsely.