Use with caution
Chrysanthemums contain pyrethrins and other compounds and are toxic to dogs, cats, and horses if eaten, causing drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, and incoordination; the foliage can also cause skin dermatitis in sensitive people. It is fine to grow and handle normally, but keep pets from grazing on it.
Sheffield Pink Garden Mum
Chrysanthemum 'Sheffield Pink'
flowerSheffield Pink is a genuinely hardy perennial garden mum, a world apart from the throwaway florist mums sold in fall. It is an old, tough heirloom that forms a billowing two to three foot clump and, very late in the season - often October into November, after most other flowers are done - smothers itself in masses of single, daisy-like flowers of soft apricot-pink with golden centers. Because it blooms so late and comes back reliably year after year, it is one of the best plants for carrying a garden right up to a hard frost, and the open single flowers are a vital last meal for late bees and butterflies.
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Sun
full sun
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Water
Every 6 days
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Bloom
~160 days
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Difficulty
medium
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Lifecycle
perennial
Comes back every year
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Spacing
18-24 in. apart
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Planting Depth
Set the root ball level with the soil surface
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Soil pH
6.0-6.8
Growing Details
Soil Type
Fertile, well-draining
Hardiness Zones
Zones 5 – 9
When to Fertilize
Monthly from spring through midsummer; stop by late July
Fertilizer
Balanced fertilizer
🌱 Growing Guide
Grow hardy garden mums in full sun in fertile, well-drained soil; good drainage, especially in winter, is the key to getting them to survive and return. They are hardy in roughly zones 5 to 9, though winter survival in the north depends on sharp drainage, snow cover, and not cutting them back in fall (leave the stems until spring). The trick to a full, well-shaped, self-supporting plant is pinching: when growth reaches six to eight inches in spring, pinch out the tips, and repeat every few weeks until about mid-July, then stop so flower buds can form for fall. Water in dry spells, divide every couple of years in spring to keep them vigorous, and feed through early summer.
🌼 Have a different variety?Cultivars of the same species usually share the same basic care, and they differ mainly in flower color, height, and bloom form, not in how you grow them. So this guide still applies even if your exact variety isn't the one shown.
Planting Calendar
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Direct sow
Apr 15
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Projected first bloom
Sep 22
JJan
FFeb
MMar
AApr
MMay
JJun
JJul
AAug
SSep
OOct
NNov
DDec
✅ Plant alongside
Good neighbors that attract beneficial insects or deter pests
- New England Aster: Another late native bloomer that flowers alongside it to feed pollinators heading into fall
- Sedum: Autumn-flowering succulent that shares the sunny, well-drained bed and the late-season pollinator role
- Ornamental grasses: Their fall plumes and foliage set off the late mum flowers and share the full sun
🛡️ Pest & disease prevention
Proactive ways to stop trouble before it starts. Tap a name with an arrow for its full guide
Cluster on tender tips and buds - rinse off with water and encourage ladybugs; avoid heavy nitrogen that fuels them
Stipple leaves in hot dry weather - rinse foliage and keep plants watered to avoid drought-stress
Give airflow, water at the base, and clear fallen leaves; remove spotted lower foliage
🌸 Blooms & cutting
Sheffield Pink is a lovely, long-lasting cut flower for autumn arrangements - cut stems in the cool morning when the flowers are freshly open. The essential garden task is the pinching routine through early summer for a bushy, self-supporting plant covered in bloom. Resist cutting the plant back in fall: leaving the old stems standing through winter improves its hardiness, and you simply cut them down in spring as new growth begins.
🥗 Nutrition & benefits
An ornamental perennial of real late-season wildlife value - because it blooms so late with open, single flowers, it is one of the last important nectar and pollen sources of the year for bees and migrating butterflies before frost.
⚠️ Toxicity & safety
Chrysanthemums contain pyrethrins and other compounds and are toxic to dogs, cats, and horses if eaten, causing drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, and incoordination; the foliage can also cause skin dermatitis in sensitive people. It is fine to grow and handle normally, but keep pets from grazing on it.
For educational and informational purposes only. HomeSown is not medical, health, or other professional advice. Always positively identify any plant before handling or eating it; some plants, and some parts of otherwise-edible plants, are toxic. Consult a qualified professional before consuming or otherwise using any plant, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a health condition.