7 Plants You Should Always Grow Next to Mums

A collection of blooming chrysanthemums featuring flowers of varying shades and sizes situated outdoors — Credit:
Leigh Ann Speake / Getty Images

Chrysanthemums are the quintessential fall flower, bringing a blaze of vibrant orange, red, and yellow to your garden during the cooler months. However, they aren't the only plants that can thrive in brisk weather. In fact, many grasses and flowers can further highlight the beauty of your mums.

Before adding more plants to your garden, it's essential to know which ones will be the best companions for your mums. Here are a few that the experts recommend.

Kelly Funk, president of Jackson & Perkins
Niki Jabbour, founder of Savvy Gardening and the author of The Year-Round Vegetable Gardener
Karen Musgrave, marketing associate at Hicks Nurseries

01 of 07

Lamb's Ear

Lamb's ear (Stachys byzantina) is delightfully soft to the touch and serves as a wonderful juxtaposition to your fiery mums. "Its silver foliage is the perfect foil for bright mum blooms, adding texture and a cooling color contrast," adds Kelly Funk, president of Jackson & Perkins.

It's also easy to grow, and can thrive even in poor soils.

Zones: 4 to 8
Size: 6 to 24 inches tall x 12 to 36 inches wide
Care requirements: Full sun to partial shade; well-drained soil

02 of 07

Black-Eyed Susan

Black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia hirta) are "perfect for fall containers and cutting gardens," notes Funk, so they're natural mum companions. These flowers, like mums, have vibrant, colorful yellow blooms, making them a great choice if you want a vibrant fall garden.

"Both attract pollinators," Funk adds. "Black-eyed Susans bloom earlier and overlap with mums, creating season-long color."

Zone: 4 to 9
Size: 24 to 36 inches tall x 12 to 24 inches wide
Care requirements: Full sun; well-draining soil

03 of 07

Pansies

Pansy flower — Credit:
agustavop / GETTY IMAGES

Pansies (Viola) are another "cool season superstar," according to Niki Jabbour, founder of Savvy Gardening. So naturally, they pair well with mums.

Since these flowers are available in a wide range of colors—from purple to yellow—they can also transform your flower garden, either contrasting with your mums or blending in.

Zones: 3 to 8
Size: 6 to 12 inches tall x 4 to 12 inches wide
Care requirements: Full to partial sun; well-drained soil

04 of 07

Ornamental Cabbage

ornamental purple and pink cabbage — Credit: Getty Images

Ornamental cabbage or kale provides beautiful foliage that looks especially striking when planted alongside mums. "[They] last from fall and into early winter," says Karen Musgrave, a marketing associate at Hicks Nurseries. "[The] gorgeous color deepens until the first hard frost."

The bold purple shades in particular add an elegant pop of color.

05 of 07

Croton

Croton is often considered a houseplant, but it can be grown outdoors too—it's a particularly great option if you plan on growing mums. Like these flowers, croton "puts on a show of color in shades of yellow, orange, red, and burgundy, which is perfect for fall," says Musgrave.

Zones:
Size: 3 to 5 feet tall x 3 to 5 feet wide
Care requirements: Full sun; loose, well-draining soil

06 of 07

Ornamental Grasses

Prairie Dropseed Grass — Credit: Photographer, Basak Gurbuz Derman / GETTY IMAGES

Ornamental grasses are a great way to add height and texture to your fall garden. "Their airy seed heads create a backdrop that highlights mums," says Funk. "Grasses [also] thrive into winter, giving interest after mums fade."

07 of 07

Coral Bells

Purple pairs well with mums, bringing out the best in both color families. Coral bells also have "rich foliage," notes Funk, "filling in when mums aren't in bloom."

"Together, they create a layered, multi-season display," she says.