Overview
Dahlia 'Dragon Ball' is a bushy, clump-forming, tuberous perennial perennial in the genus Dahlia, part of the Asteraceae family, with green, occasionally dark-leaved foliage. Dahlia 'Dragon Ball' grows best in full sun, and tolerates well-drained and fertile soils and neutral to slightly acidic pH. Its UK hardiness is rated H4. Suggested uses include borders, cut flowers and containers.
About
Dahlia 'Dragon Ball' is a tuberous perennial known for its large, fully double, ball-shaped flowers with tightly packed petals, typically in shades of red and yellow.
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.
Written by Henry
Growing conditions
Best soil and position for Dahlia
- Sunlight
- full sun
- Soil type
- well-drained, fertile
- Soil pH
- neutral to slightly acidic
- Soil moisture
- moderate
- Aspect
- South-facing
- Exposure
- Sheltered
- UK hardiness
- H4
Plant details
Dahlia 'Dragon Ball' size, habit and characteristics
- Plant type
- perennial
- Habit
- Bushy, clump-forming, tuberous perennial
- Foliage
- Green, occasionally dark-leaved
- Suggested uses
- borders, cut flowers, containers
Care notes
Pruning and caring for Dahlia 'Dragon Ball'
- Cultivation
- Plant tubers in spring after the last frost; provide support for tall stems; water regularly but avoid waterlogging.
- Pruning
- Deadhead spent flowers to encourage continuous blooming; cut back after first frost.
- Propagation
- tuber division, cuttings
- Pest resistance
- Slugs, Snails, Aphids
- Disease resistance
- Generally disease-free
Frequently asked questions
How do I grow Dahlia 'Dragon Ball'?
Plant tubers in spring after the last frost; provide support for tall stems; water regularly but avoid waterlogging.
Where is the best place to plant Dahlia 'Dragon Ball'?
Dahlia 'Dragon Ball' prefers full sun. It suits sheltered positions.
What soil does Dahlia 'Dragon Ball' need?
Dahlia 'Dragon Ball' grows best in well-drained and fertile soil. It prefers neutral to slightly acidic soil. Aim for soil that stays moderate.
How do I prune Dahlia 'Dragon Ball'?
Deadhead spent flowers to encourage continuous blooming; cut back after first frost.
Is Dahlia 'Dragon Ball' hardy in the UK?
Dahlia 'Dragon Ball' 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 'Dragon Ball'?
Tuber division, cuttings.
More in the Dahlia genus
- Dahlia 'Clearview Cameron' (C)
- Dahlia 'Croydon Jumbo' (D)Dahlia
- Dahlia 'Elizabeth Snowden' (Col)
- Dahlia 'Katie's Velvet' (Col)Dahlia
- Dahlia 'LB Michael Braithwaite' (D)
- Dahlia 'Amazing Grace' (Misc)
- Dahlia 'Aurora's Kiss' (Ba)
- Dahlia 'Black Diamond' (Ba)