Overview
Dahlia 'Great Hercules' is a perennial in the genus Dahlia, part of the Asteraceae family. Dahlia 'Great Hercules' grows best in full sun, and tolerates well-drained and fertile soils and 6.0-7.5 pH. Its UK hardiness is rated H4. Suggested uses include cut flowers, borders and garden beds.
About
Dahlia 'Great Hercules' is a large-flowered dahlia cultivar known for its impressive, fully double blooms with a rich, deep red color. It produces tall, sturdy stems and lush green foliage.
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
- 6.0-7.5
- Soil moisture
- moist, not waterlogged
- Aspect
- south-facing
- Exposure
- sheltered
- UK hardiness
- H4
Plant details
Dahlia 'Great Hercules' size, habit and characteristics
- Plant type
- perennial
- Suggested uses
- cut flowers, borders, garden beds
Care notes
Pruning and caring for Dahlia 'Great Hercules'
- Cultivation
- Plant tubers in spring after the last frost. Provide support for tall stems. Water regularly and feed with balanced fertilizer during growing season.
- Pruning
- Deadhead spent flowers to encourage continuous blooming. Cut back stems after first frost.
- Propagation
- tuber division, cuttings
Frequently asked questions
How do I grow Dahlia 'Great Hercules'?
Plant tubers in spring after the last frost. Provide support for tall stems. Water regularly and feed with balanced fertilizer during growing season.
Where is the best place to plant Dahlia 'Great Hercules'?
Dahlia 'Great Hercules' prefers full sun. It suits sheltered positions.
What soil does Dahlia 'Great Hercules' need?
Dahlia 'Great Hercules' grows best in well-drained and fertile soil. It prefers 6.0-7.5 soil. Aim for soil that stays moist to not waterlogged.
How do I prune Dahlia 'Great Hercules'?
Deadhead spent flowers to encourage continuous blooming. Cut back stems after first frost.
Is Dahlia 'Great Hercules' hardy in the UK?
Dahlia 'Great Hercules' 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 'Great Hercules'?
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)