About the Flower

If you’ve been reading along, you know a little (or a lot) about the popular Fall Poms, but did you know that chrysanthemums come in even more shapes and sizes than the frequented pompon varieties? The most popular form of chrysanthemums are sprays, also commonly referred to as ‘poms’. The main type is called a ‘disbud’, which consists of one large flower per stem.

Disbuds and poms actually both come from the same plant, the difference is in how the plants are managed. For disbuds, rather than letting the plant produce side shoots which would each bear flowers (sprays), all these shoots are removed, a process called disbudding. In leaving only one central stem, all the energy of the plant is directed into that one bud, producing a larger flower. Take a look at how it’s done below! 

Types of Disbuds

Disbuds come in many different forms. Some are tight petalled, with all the petals curling upwards. Some have loose petals which look like spider legs, hence the common name ‘spiders’, and some even look very much like dahlias. The types, shapes and colors of disbuds are endless, but that’s what makes them such a versatile bloom. 

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Care & Purchasing

Select thick, strong stems with flower heads and foliage that show vibrant, uniform colors. Only  add flower food to their vase solution if the stems are in the bud stage, fully open mums will actually do better without it! When using in a vase arrangement, as always, be sure to clean all foliage that may fall below the waterline as this can affect the long vase life disbuds are so loved for.