I don’t grow that one but I follow the ’rule’ for ’mums of ’pinching’/cutting back twice by early July and then leaving them alone at that point to set flowerbuds. It sounds like that needed to be done for the one you have

my system was when they were about 6 inches... i snipped them back to 3.. [sometimes i tried rooting the cuttings just for teh heck of it...] .....and when they were about 9 inches [6plus 3] .. i snipped them back to about 6 ... and then let them go for it ... what it does.. in effect is give you a much more stout structure to hold itself up latter ... if you cut them too tall ... then the explosive growth above.. cant be held up as you are seeing now ....

thats how you end up with the little half balls of fall flower glory ...

so specific dates was not the key.. it was height ... in my MI ....

ken

Ken, just curious. I know you're saying no specific dates, but what was the timing of your second cutting back? I have never had luck with cutting back - it always seemed to diminish the health and vigor of the plant and therefore giving me paltry blooms - so the last few years I've been letting the plants do their thing and just have mum blooms in August.

But I'm curious as to just how late you cut back. Thanks!

Cecily, for what it's worth (and again, my experience has not been very good lol) but I have heard the same advice - pinch or cut back twice by July. Maybe your Emperor just needed a second pinch! Do you have any pictures to share?

:)

Dee

I pinch mine back once and earlier than that. He gives July 15th as the latest date. I wish I could remember how late I do mine usually. I feel like my bloom is delayed too late. I'd like them in September, at least mid September, but none of mine bloomed until October. So I'm going to give myself at least a 2 week earlier date to try to get earlier bloom.

But he also tells you to cut back 2-3x before the 15th of July. I should try to do this because the more times you cut it, the thicker it grows in. They prune a lot for entering in shows, in Japan, I think that is where they originated. ??

He also mentions there are different varieties that bloom early, mid and late. So, maybe mine are late bloomers no matter when I pinch them.

P.Allan Smith on Cutting Back Mums

I never cut my mum s back. I'm in east central Iowa. I'm like prairemoon. When I cut them back, mine also bloom in October and get hit by a frost. Why do they have to bloom in the fall? I like the late summer bloom. I am going to try to cut some of my tall ones next year and be more particular about the timing.

I like the fact that the mums here are late bloomers - they are pretty much the last thing here to have a showy bloom - they start in mid-October and continue into mid-Nov., turning pink as the flowers fade. I have no idea what their name is - they are 'pass-along' plants from a neighbour. I had admired them in her garden and eventually, 10 years ago, she said she didn't like them so I could have them! The following Spring a couple of clumps appeared on our driveway one morning! Two years ago she asked if she could have some back because her husband wanted them again - apparently they came to her from someone in her husband's family... In the first year I grew them I didn't pinch them and they flopped badly. So, ever since, I cut them back by half in May once they get to 6" or so and then cut them back by half again in early July and then leave them to set buds.

I have tried growing Mammoth mums and some from a Canadian breeder in Manitoba who produces very winter-hardy varieties. None of them have survived more that a couple of years. These ones have formed a spreading mass that is now 9 years old! A couple of winters ago they almost died after some harsh winter conditions, but they recovered and are still going strong :-)

A couple of pictures:

Flopping in their first year in the garden - 2012:

October 14 2021:

Nov. 12 2020 showing the pink colour as the flowers fade:

Prairiemoon, et al There are definitely early, mid and late season perennial mums. Montauk Daisies (don't know where they fit into the "mum" family) started a month ago. My almost white ones (Venus?) started blooming 2 weeks ago. Cambodian queen, 1 .5 weeks ago, and what might be Sheffield yellow and some deep pink pretty thing just a couple of days ago.

Of course one's garden is hardly a 'trial' garden with a controlled environment. But since this post I've been looking at lot of web sites and often the bloom month is in the description and they vary from "late summer" to "october-November" or the "latest blooming" etc.

Why do mums bloom in fall? Because they are daylight-length sensitive (not the scientific term) Bloom time is affected by shortening daylight hours. Pot grown mums for the industry are grown in conditions that regulate the amount of light they receive, hence mums that are in full bloom by Sept 1, October 1 and almost absent by November 1. Except in our gardens, thank the Garden Gods, where some will bloom until thanksgiving if you're willing to throw a sheet over them when the temps drop below freezing.

I was hoping to hear from someone who grows Emperor of China because his shape and vigor are a bit different from other perennial mums. This fellow has gone from a small cutting in April to fill out a two gallon pot in October. With one pinching, his "arms" are three feet long and lax which is why I referred to him as an octopus. I generally only pinch mums and asters once per season because I dislike the typical congested muffin shape. A peony ring might work for one season but he will soon spread beyond that circumference. So I'm thinking of planting the emperor in a location where he will have tall companions to lean on. I've got a spot where he will be placed behind a double row of Montauks and tall peonies on one side, a boxwood on one side and siberian iris on the far side. In a few years he may fill that space and I'll be ripping out excess but if I plant him in a more spacious location he's going to flop all over.

Thanks for your opinion. I did Google EoC and study the images. I also read several postings on other websites. Then I posted here to see if anybody on GW is growing this plant. Apparently not.

Hi Cecily, didn't realize you'd done all that homework. You didn't say.

Sometimes trying to be helpful isn't so helpful, is it?

Planted Emperor of China about 5 years ago, bought online, it's now about four feet tall and supported to prevent falling and rooting on the ground. In full flower now.

Liz, please describe how you support it. Thanks!

Update: despite repeated frosts and a dry fall, the Emperor is still blooming. It's been in flower for eight weeks so far. The foliage has turned a rich red which sets off the silvery pink blooms. This one's a keeper.