Established in 1954, King’s Mums is the oldest operating Chrysanthemum nursery in the United States. Founded by Leland Theodore “Ted” King, the company spent 54 years in central California, evolving from a hobby of collecting exotic global varieties into a premier supplier for both amateur gardeners and professional growers. Many of the cultivars available in the country today were originally bred or introduced by Mr. King.
In 2008, Kim and Ray Gray purchased the nursery and moved operations to Oregon City, Oregon, where they integrated new technologies while maintaining the King family traditions.
In 2014, the business was acquired by Brian and Sheila Kanotz and relocated to Tulsa, Oklahoma. Both Brian and Sheila are professional horticulturists with extensive experience at renowned institutions such as Callaway Gardens and Longwood Gardens. Brian has over twenty years of expertise in Chrysanthemum production, having overseen the cultivation of hundreds of thousands of plants. Sheila serves as the Director of Horticulture for the Philbrook Museum of Art in addition to her work with the nursery.
Today, we continue to honor the legacy of our predecessors. Our collection features approximately 150 cultivars and serves as the primary source for exhibition and spray mums in the U.S. We remain committed to quality and plant health, utilizing laboratory testing to ensure our stock is as pathogen-free as possible. Currently, over 80 of our cultivars have been lab-certified as clean, ensuring the highest standards for our customers.
