What Kind of Mums Can I Plant in a Window Box?

Cascading Mums

• Cascading mums are not the common garden mums you typically see in the fall. These mums are unique and will give your garden a one-of-a-kind look. They are ideal for growing in window boxes because of their form, although it does take some work to keep these plants from trying to grow upright. As they spill over the side, they hide the window box, soften the look and replace the "spiller" plant so typically seen in spring and summer window boxes. A container garden is usually made up of three plants: a "thriller," which is a tall plant in the center of the arrangement; a "filler," which is the plant that fills in the empty spots; and a "spiller," which cascades over the edge.

Florist Mums

• Florist mums are known for their elaborate blooms, which come in almost every color of the rainbow except blue. These plants reach a mature height of 3 feet, making them an ideal "thriller" plant for window boxes. Florist mums are often fragrant and ideal for cut-flower bouquets. Some gardeners like to grow these plants on a sunny windowsill indoors during the winter. They can be left in the window box or taken out and potted up, but do be aware that this particular variety is toxic. The leaves and flowers contain alantolactone, a skin irritant.

Garden Mums

• Plain old garden mums are a popular addition to the fall landscape and an ideal "thriller" plant for window boxes. Growing garden mums in a window box is an ideal option for the busy person who has little time to garden but wants to do something to dress up the fall landscape. As the flowers fade, simply cut them off, and new ones will form. This is known as deadheading. Pruning garden mums is a great way to encourage them to bush as well. In fact, by pruning them, you control their mature size. When the end of the season arrives, either compost the plants or plant them in the flower border if they are perennials. Perennials are plants that come back from year to year. Be sure to mulch the ones you plant, since their roots will not have time to establish before winter arrives.

Evergreen Mums

• The evergreen mum is an ideal "filler" plant for those who want evergreen color in their window boxes. This rarely-seen mum produces button-like vibrant gold flowers in late fall, but what really catches the eye is the gray-green foliage that is edged in silvery white. This plant grows by underground rhizomes and makes a dense, 12-inch-tall ground cover once established.