Overview
Dahlia 'Aunt Ruth' (C) is a bushy, clump-forming, tuberous perennial bedding in the genus Dahlia, part of the Asteraceae family, with green, occasionally dark-leaved foliage. Dahlia 'Aunt Ruth' (C) grows best in full sun, and tolerates loam soils and neutral pH. Its UK hardiness is rated H4. Suggested uses include borders, containers and cut flowers.
About
Dahlia 'Aunt Ruth' is a cultivar of Dahlia, a genus of perennial plants with tuberous roots and finely dissected leaves, known for their prominent flowerheads. This bushy, clump-forming herbaceous perennial thrives in full sun and prefers a sheltered, south-facing aspect with moist but well-drained loam soil of neutral pH. Suitable for borders, containers, and cut flowers, it is hardy in the UK (H4) and typically flowers in summer and autumn, with interest beginning in spring. Cultivation involves well-drained soil and sun exposure, with propagation possible by division, cuttings, or seed.
About the genus
Dahlias come from the high meadows of Mexico, and somewhere in that heritage is the explanation for how they behave here: tender to frost, hungry, generous beyond all reason. No other plant gives you quite so much for so little. One tuber, planted after the last frost, becomes a shrub's worth of flowers by August — and the more you cut, the more they come.The range is faintly ridiculous. Tight pompoms, spiky cactus types, singles the bees adore, dinner-plates the size of your face. Whatever your garden's mood, there is a dahlia that agrees with it, which is probably why every generation falls out of love with them and then, a decade later, falls straight back in.They're at their best when much of the garden is winding down — late summer into autumn, flowering hard until the first frost calls time. I think of them as the encore. And they always play it.
Growing conditions
Best soil and position for Dahlia
- Sunlight
- Full sun
- Soil type
- Loam
- Soil pH
- Neutral
- Soil moisture
- Moist but well-drained
- Aspect
- South-facing
- Exposure
- Sheltered
- UK hardiness
- H4
Plant details
Dahlia 'Aunt Ruth' (C) size, habit and characteristics
- Plant type
- Bedding, Herbaceous Perennial
- Habit
- Bushy, clump-forming, tuberous perennial
- Foliage
- Green, occasionally dark-leaved
- Suggested uses
- Borders, containers, cut flowers
Care notes
Pruning and caring for Dahlia 'Aunt Ruth' (C)
- Propagation
- Division, cuttings, seed
- Pest resistance
- Generally pest-resistant
- Disease resistance
- Generally disease-resistant
Frequently asked questions
Where is the best place to plant Dahlia 'Aunt Ruth' (C)?
Dahlia 'Aunt Ruth' (C) prefers full sun. It suits sheltered positions.
What soil does Dahlia 'Aunt Ruth' (C) need?
Dahlia 'Aunt Ruth' (C) grows best in loam soil. It prefers neutral soil. Aim for soil that stays moist but well-drained.
Is Dahlia 'Aunt Ruth' (C) hardy in the UK?
Dahlia 'Aunt Ruth' (C) has an RHS hardiness rating of H4, meaning it is hardy through an average UK winter, tolerating -10 to -5°C.
How do I propagate Dahlia 'Aunt Ruth' (C)?
Division, cuttings, seed.
More in the Dahlia genus
- Dahlia 'Ace Summer Emotions' (D)
- Dahlia 'Ada's Attraction' (D)
- Dahlia 'Admiral Rawlings' (D)dahlia 'Admiral Rawlings'
- Dahlia 'Akebono-otome' (WL)
- Dahlia 'Alauna Bragance' (S-c)
- Dahlia 'Alauna Démon' (Fim)
- Dahlia 'Alauna Florés' (C)
- Dahlia 'Aleida van Schiedam' (D)