How to Care for Chrysanthemum morifolium (Florist's chrysanthemum)

Korean name: 국화

Selected by NASA as the best air-purifying plant. It effectively removes ammonia, benzene, and formaldehyde, blooming beautiful flowers in autumn.

Key facts

Care Guide

Detailed care guide

Florist's chrysanthemum blooms beautifully in fall and is a recommended plant for cleaner indoor air. It's also well known as one of NASA's top air-purifying plants.

Watering

It's important to keep the soil consistently moist. Watering about once every 5 days is typical, but water right away if the soil surface dries out. Overwatering causes leaves to yellow and turn mushy, while too little water can cause brown leaf tips.

Light

It likes bright direct or indirect light. Insufficient light can cause the stems to grow leggy and lower leaves to drop, so give it plenty of sunlight. Strong direct sun can scorch the leaves, so be careful.

Humidity

It prefers average humidity, so no special humidification is needed. If indoor humidity drops too low, the leaf tips can dry out, so mist it when conditions are dry.

Temperature

It likes a cool environment of 10–20°C. In hot spots, the flowers can wilt quickly or the leaves can droop, so maintain the right temperature. Avoid sudden temperature changes too.

A common first-timer mistake

The most common mistake is giving too much water at once. Checking the soil by hand before watering helps prevent overwatering.

If you have pets

Florist's chrysanthemum can cause mild symptoms like vomiting or diarrhea if pets eat it. Keep it out of reach where pets can't chew on it.

Seasonal Care

In spring and summer, fertilizing once a month along with plenty of light helps it grow healthy. In fall, you can enjoy its beautiful blooms — once flowering ends, trim off the spent flowers. In winter, keep it in a cool indoor spot and water a bit less to keep the soil from staying fully wet.

Common Problems and Fixes

If the soil stays too wet, the leaves can turn yellow and mushy. On the other hand, if you notice the leaves turning brown, dryness may be the cause. Insufficient light can cause the stems to grow leggy, so try moving it to a different spot.

Repotting and Propagation

Use fertile, well-draining soil, and repot when the roots become tangled. Replace the soil with fresh soil once it hardens around the roots. Choosing healthy stems to propagate makes it easy to get new plants.

Who It's Good For

It's a great choice for anyone who cares about indoor air quality or wants to enjoy the feeling of fall indoors. It's not demanding to care for, so you can grow it without much hassle even during a busy schedule. With just a bright spot and consistently moist soil, anyone can enjoy the beauty of chrysanthemums.

Written by AI from the care facts in this entry. Treat it as a starting point.

Common questions

How often should you water Chrysanthemum morifolium?

Water frequently to keep the soil moist. Roughly every 5 days is the baseline; adjust for the season and the spot it sits in.

Where should you keep Chrysanthemum morifolium?

It likes Bright direct to indirect light.. You can grow it indoors or outdoors. Use Fertile soil with good drainage..

Is Chrysanthemum morifolium safe around pets?

Mildly toxic, so keep pets from chewing on it.

Is Chrysanthemum morifolium good for beginners?

Difficulty: Moderate. Keep it around 10~20°C (prefers cooler environments). Humidity: Moderate humidity.. Fertilise Once a month in spring and summer..