CAES Newswire

 College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences UGA Cooperative Extension
Menu
Published on 10/27/16

Nothing says fall like mari-mums

By Norman Winter

I love this time of the year. Everyone decorates with pumpkins, old flowers get ripped out and mums go in. As much as I treasure Belgian mums, I must admit that there is something special about mari-mums. I would be quick to tell you that there is no such thing as a mari-mum but, in actuality, they were named a Texas Superstar twice, in 1989 and 2013.

The mari-mum is really a concept, and a doggone good one. Mari-mums are large-flower marigolds, known botanically as Tagetes erecta, that are reminiscent of chrysanthemums. Many of them really look like the old-fashioned homecoming mums of the ‘50s and ‘60s, only smaller.

These marigolds are often called “African marigolds,” although they are really from Mexico. The Spaniards took these treasured flowers of the Aztecs and planted them in southern Europe and northern Africa, where they absolutely flourished. They flourish for us, too, in the spring, but they totally dazzle when planted in late summer as a small bedding plant or larger transplants like you find at the garden center now.

If you live in an area that is already flirting with frost, then you should wait to plant mari-mums until next year. Here in Savannah, Georgia, and the South Carolina low country, mari-mums can perk up a home quicker than just about any other plant.

Mari-mums or the marigolds, if you will, typically produce flowers before chrysanthemums and are still blooming when frost actually takes them out. If you associate spider mites with marigolds, know that this is a summer plague. Blooming mari-mums are hardly a target as the cooler temperatures of fall diminish the spider mites’ reproductive rate.

Here at the University of Georgia Coastal Georgia Botanical Gardens (CGBG) at the Historic Bamboo Farm, we plant ‘Taishan yellow.’ The Taishan series made its debut with the Beijing Olympics in 2008. This extraordinary marigold is named after the sacred Mount Tai in China, and “shan” refers to “mountain.”

Over the years, I have come to realize that I am a sucker for all of the Tagetes erecta marigolds, and several of their hybrids, when it comes to fall planting. Moonstruck is one such variety that produces huge, pompom-like flower balls. It’s funny, I can spot this variety from a great distance. There are two series that are absolutely stunning in their design, looking just like mums with their unique outer petals. They are 'Lunacy' and 'Mumsy' marigolds.

There’s a fickle market for marigolds as local growers can only produce so many varieties to sell at garden centers. On the other hand, if you are a marigold nut like me, you can find the flowers of your dreams via catalogs. As you probably remember from your childhood days, marigolds are about the easiest flowers to grow from seeds.

If you are looking for that fall festival-like flower for your landscape, then, by all means, consider the large-flowered marigold. Surprise your garden center and tell them the new name is mari-mum. Combine them with the fall-blooming salvia, asters, ornamental peppers and a pumpkin or two, and you’ll have cornered that October look.

Follow me on Twitter @CGBGgardenguru. Learn more about the CGBG at www.coastalgeorgiabg.org.

Norman Winter is the director of the Coastal Georgia Botanical Gardens at the Historic Bamboo Farm in Savannah, Georgia.

Authors:
Norman Winter
Experts/Sources:
Norman Winter
The 'Taishan Orange' marigold makes the perfect fall container plant, especially when it's combined with 'Trusty Rusty' coleus and 'Can-Can' calibrachoa. Moonstruck marigolds look like round pom-poms.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.
Download Image
University of Georgia startup CytoNest Inc. released its first commercial product this year, a fiber scaffold that optimizes cell manufacturing and tissue engineering. (Photo by Lauren Corcino) CAES News
UGA again ranks No. 1 in new research-based products 11/04/24 Brandon Ward
The University of Georgia once again ranks No. 1 among U.S. universities for the number of commercial products to market based on its research, according to an annual survey conducted by AUTM. For nine straight years, UGA has placed in the top two and has never appeared out of the Top 5 in the 11 years the survey has been reported by AUTM. UGA industry partners and startups released a record 66 new products developed from the university’s research in fiscal year 2023, on which the AUTM report is based.
Combining data collection and analysis with plant pathology, precision agriculture and robotics, the UGA team will build a photographic library of the foliar symptoms caused by onion diseases and other physiological disorders, feed them into the AI software, and use machine learning to identify the diseases based on pattern and color recognition from the images. CAES News
UGA uses AI, robotics to improve Georgia’s Vidalia sweet onion crop 10/23/24 Jordan Powers
A multidisciplinary team of UGA researchers aims to enhance the competitiveness of Vidalia onion growers in Georgia by providing them with the ability to confidently detect onion diseases early, enabling them to make management decisions on their crop at a critical time. These abilities, researchers say, should result in increased yield and quality of marketable onions and an overall increase in efficiency and productivity.
Associate Professor Rhuanito Ferrarezi poses with a Gerber daisy grown by students in his 4050/6050 Greenhouse Management class in fall 2023. CAES News
Upcoming UGA plant sales bring color to fall 10/15/24 Maria M. Lameiras
Fall weather means fall gardening, and several groups at the University of Georgia’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences will be offering the fruits of their labors at ornamental plant sales across campus this semester. On Friday, Oct. 18, the Trial Gardens at University of Georgia will hold its annual Fall Houseplant Sale, and on Wednesday, Nov. 20, greenhouse management students will offer their ornamental plant sale at the South Milledge Greenhouse Complex.
Gavin Shytle CAES News
Gavin Shytle changes the game with UGA Grounds Crew 10/01/24
It’s a special moment to step inside Sanford Stadium and walk across that sprawling green field between the hedges. While the grass beneath your feet may not always be your first thought at the Freshman Welcome or Commencement, it is for Gavin Shytle. Keeping the turf safe, healthy, and aesthetically pleasing is the sworn duty of Shytle and his fellow turfgrass management majors. Before athletes even hit the ground running, he makes sure the ground is prepped for them.
Although it may not fit the traditional image of a well-kept lawn, this landscape is the result of careful planning and a deep commitment to ecological stewardship. CAES News
Done with mowing? How to transform your lawn into a native, perennial landscape 09/12/24 Emily Cabrera
On a tour of her Blairsville, Georgia, home, Becky Griffin navigates a swaying maze of perennial grasses interspersed with pussy willows, switchgrass and boneset. Although it may not fit the traditional image of a well-kept lawn, this landscape is the result of careful planning and a deep commitment to ecological stewardship. As a native plant enthusiast and coordinator of the Great Southeast Pollinator Census, Griffin hand-selected each of these native plants for the countless ecological services they provide year-round.
Master Gardener Carrots CAES News
Celebrating 45 years of Georgia Master Gardeners 09/03/24 Sheri Dorn
The Georgia Master Gardener Extension Volunteer program is celebrating its 45th anniversary with signature events throughout 2024, culminating in the Georgia Master Gardener Association’s annual conference Oct. 4-5. Hosted on the University of Georgia Griffin campus, the event’s theme is “Think Globally, Grow Locally” and will feature research tours, presentations and workshops hosted by Master Gardeners.