mum, n.² — Green’s Dictionary of Slang

mum n.²

[abbr.]

a chrysanthemum.

1906		Somerville & Ross Some Irish Yesterdays 167: The disbudding of ’Mums? (a term of horrid familiarity that I have seen applied to Chrysanthemums).
1926		Wood & Goddard Dict. Amer. Sl.
1964		Dly News (NY) 10 May 21/1: [advert] Our catalog right now is selling these same mums [...] at 10 for $2.00.
1978		A. Maupin Tales of the City (1984) 181: The face of her visitor was obscured by a huge pot of yellow mums.
1989		Dly Trib. (Waisconsin Rapids, WI) 16 Nov. 6/1: [advert] We’ve filled the shop with [...] azaleas, mums, cyclamens.
2002		J. Franzen Corrections 215: The beds of mums and begonias and lirope.
2004		Harpers and Queen Mar. 253: [advert] Mums & Asters.
2012		N. Pettigrew ‘Wakey Wake’ in ThugLit Dec. [ebook] ‘[H]is father’s favorite flowers. Soft white mums’.
2023		(con. 1962) J. Ellroy Enchanters 390: [The funeral] featured [...] Navy choppers scattering mums.