Dahlia 'Makwala' (D) — Bushy, clump-forming, tuberous perennial

Overview

Dahlia 'Makwala' (D) is a bushy, clump-forming, tuberous perennial bedding in the genus Dahlia, part of the Asteraceae family, with green, occasionally dark-leaved foliage. Dahlia 'Makwala' (D) 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 'Makwala' is a tuberous herbaceous perennial dahlia valued for summer bedding and cut flowers. It forms a well-branched, clump-forming plant with green, occasionally darker foliage. Plant in a south-facing, sheltered position in loam that is neutral in pH and kept moist but well-drained. Flowering occurs from July to October, supplying stems for borders and containers.

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

In the garden

Dahlia 'Makwala' belongs to the genus Dahlia in the family Asteraceae and is grown as a bedding, herbaceous perennial with tuberous roots. The plant produces a compact, well-branched clump that can be used where repeat summer and autumn blooms are required. For best results choose a full-sun, south-facing site that is sheltered from strong winds and planted into loam of neutral pH; the soil should be kept moist but must drain freely to avoid waterlogging. Its UK hardiness is H4, which translates to average hardiness in British gardens, so place it where it benefits from a protected microclimate. Dahlia 'Makwala' suits mixed borders, large containers and cutting beds where regular stems are needed for bouquets. When siting, allow room for a rounded clump so air can circulate around the stems and reduce disease risk. The plant flowers steadily from July to October, making it useful for both late-summer displays and autumn cutting schedules.