Mums Flowers in Russian: A Florist's Guide to Khrizantemy
Mums, or chrysanthemums, are called khrizantemy in Russian (singular khrizantema, said khri-zan-TE-ma). In Russia they are a warm, everyday gift rather than a cemetery flower, and from September to late November they are one of the most requested flowers in our Saint Petersburg shops.
Pyat Tsvetov has been selling flowers in Petersburg since 2011, and customers from abroad tend to ask us the same handful of things about mums: what the different types are called, whether they are appropriate for a mother or a doctor, how many stems to send and how long they will last. This guide collects those answers in one place.
How Russians name the types of mums
Customers usually point at the flower before they know its name, so it helps to have the vocabulary. Kustovaya khrizantema is the spray chrysanthemum: one stem carrying a cluster of small flowers, which is what most Russian bouquets are built on. Odnogolovaya khrizantema is the single-headed kind, a large ball or a broad flat bloom on a thick stem. Florists and buyers in Russia also use variety names as ordinary nouns, so a customer may simply ask for Bacardi, Santini or Zembla.
Bacardi is the white daisy-shaped spray mum with a yellow eye, the one most people picture. Santini are small pompons, about the size of a coin, sold in lime green, white, pink, purple and bronze. Zembla is a heavy single head the size of a fist, most often white or pale green. If you are ordering from abroad and have only a photo in mind, describing it this way (spray or single, daisy or pompon, colour) is enough for a florist to understand you.
Colour, meaning and who receives mums
In Russia the chrysanthemum is linked with autumn, longevity and gratitude. That makes it a natural choice for older women, for mothers and grandmothers, and for people you want to thank formally: teachers, doctors, nurses, a colleague marking years at the company. We see a steady stream of orders for white and cream mums for hospital staff; our article on flowers for a Russian doctor or nurse explains why compact, long-lasting bouquets are preferred there.
White reads as respect and sincerity, yellow and bronze as warmth and good cheer, pink and lilac as tenderness. Green pompons are mostly used as accents and are popular with younger recipients who find classic bouquets too formal. A mixed bouquet of three or four colours of spray mums is a safe choice when you do not know the recipient's taste. For a work occasion, see our notes on flowers for a colleague's work anniversary.
Bouquets we can deliver
Etiquette customers ask about at the counter
The question we hear most is about numbers. In Russia an odd number of flowers goes to the living and an even number to memorials, and people still notice this. With spray chrysanthemums the rule applies to stems, so five or seven stems of Bacardi is correct even though the bouquet holds dozens of blooms. Once a bouquet reaches fifteen or more stems nobody counts.
The second question is whether mums are too modest for a birthday. They are not. A dense bouquet of spray chrysanthemums looks generous, and many older Russian women prefer it to roses precisely because it lasts. The third is timing: Russian Mother's Day is the last Sunday of November, not in spring, and it is one of the busiest chrysanthemum days of our year.
Mums in mixed and autumn bouquets
Many customers do not want a bouquet of chrysanthemums alone but like the flower as part of something larger. Spray mums are the backbone of most autumn arrangements in our shops: they fill space, hold their shape and set off roses, alstroemeria or eucalyptus without competing with them. Because they outlast most companions, the bouquet still looks full after the more delicate flowers have been removed.
For a mother or grandmother we often suggest warm tones: bronze and yellow spray mums with orange or cream roses and a little greenery. For a formal thank-you, white Bacardi with white roses and green Santini pompons looks clean and restrained. For a younger recipient, lilac and pink mums with something fragrant such as matthiola give a softer, more modern feel.
If you are choosing from a photo, look at the proportion of mums to other flowers. A bouquet built mostly on chrysanthemums will last longest; one where they are only accents will look more delicate but needs more attention after the first week.
Keeping mums fresh in a heated Petersburg flat
Chrysanthemums are tough, but the main enemy in a Russian autumn is central heating, which in Saint Petersburg is switched on in October and keeps flats warm and dry until spring. Place the vase away from radiators and sunny windowsills; a cool hallway or a table near a slightly open window is ideal. Warm, dry air dries the petal edges and yellows the leaves within days.
On arrival, cut each stem at an angle by 2-3 cm and remove every leaf below the waterline. Mum leaves rot fast in water and are the usual cause of a sour smell. Change the water every two days and trim the stems again by about a centimetre. Do not hammer or split woody stems, as this damages the channels that carry water.
Handled this way, spray chrysanthemums typically last two to three weeks and single-headed ones around two. The leaves fade first; pull them off as they go and the flowers will carry on. Mums also sit happily next to longer-lived companions, while flowers such as irises fade much faster in the same vase.
Ordering chrysanthemums to Russia from abroad
You can choose a bouquet in our bouquets catalogue and we deliver it across Russia. City delivery costs 500 RUB; for remote districts and suburbs the operator confirms the price when confirming the order. Payment is online on the site by bank card, SBP or Yandex Pay, and foreign bank cards are accepted through Robokassa, which matters for most customers ordering from outside Russia.
In large cities express delivery takes 1-2 hours after the order is confirmed. For a specific day such as Mother's Day you can pick an exact time (plus or minus 30 minutes), a window of 09-12, 12-15, 15-18 or 18-21, or pre-order 1-30 days ahead. In Saint Petersburg delivery runs around the clock, which helps when your time zone is many hours away. Details are on the delivery and payment page.
Delivery is anonymous by default, so sign the free card if you want the recipient to know who sent the flowers. The courier calls about 15 minutes before arrival; if the recipient is out, we arrange a second delivery the same day or leave the bouquet with a neighbour or concierge, only with your consent. For questions about varieties or timing, call us on 8 (812) 507-67-05.
Frequently asked questions
How do you say chrysanthemum in Russian?
Khrizantema, plural khrizantemy, stressed on the third syllable. The spray type is kustovaya khrizantema and the large single-headed type is odnogolovaya khrizantema.
Is it rude to give chrysanthemums in Russia?
No. They are a normal, respectful gift for mothers, teachers, doctors and colleagues. Just keep the number of stems odd for any occasion other than a memorial.
Which chrysanthemums last longest?
Spray varieties such as Bacardi and Santini usually last two to three weeks with fresh water every two days. Keep them away from radiators to get the full vase life.
Can I pay with a foreign card?
Yes. Foreign bank cards are accepted through Robokassa, and you can also pay by Russian bank card, SBP or Yandex Pay online on the site.
Can mums be delivered at night in Saint Petersburg?
Yes, in Saint Petersburg delivery runs around the clock. In other cities choose express delivery, an exact time or one of the daytime windows.
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