Cider Donut™ Chrysanthemum

Cider Donut is retained under the exact Chrysanthemum morifolium identity recorded for this selection. Chrysanthemum includes both garden-hardy forms and florist types, so a controlled crop response should not be read as the selection’s natural outdoor flowering date or winter hardiness. ## Garden Use Chrysanthemums are used in pots, patios, and borders, but the groups differ in outdoor performance. Confirm whether a selection is a hardy garden mum before treating it as a permanent perennial; the cultivar name and code remain useful identifiers when checking with a supplier ([North Carolina Extension](https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/chrysanthemum/)). ## Seasonal Behavior Mums are short-day plants: outdoor plants generally initiate buds as days shorten and nights lengthen in late summer. Florist mums require a longer uninterrupted dark period and may flower too late outdoors for fall flowers to open before freezing weather. A greenhouse flowering schedule therefore does not establish natural garden bloom timing or a USDA zone rating ([Iowa State Extension](https://yardandgarden.extension.iastate.edu/how-to/growing-chrysanthemums-iowa)). ## Maintenance For outdoor garden mums, choose a site with at least six hours of sun and moist, well-drained soil; water during extended dry spells. For a florist-type plant kept in a pot, use a bright, cool location and water when the soil surface feels dry, allowing excess water to drain. Verify selection-specific outdoor suitability before planting permanently.