Overview

Dahlia 'Nicola Jane' (Pom) is a plant with a clump forming habit in the genus Dahlia, part of the Asteraceae family, with deciduous foliage. Dahlia 'Nicola Jane' (Pom) grows best in full sun, and tolerates loam soils and neutral pH. Its UK hardiness is rated H3. Suggested uses include city and courtyard gardens, cottage and informal garden, cut flowers and flower borders and beds.

About

Dahlia 'Nicola Jane' is a clump-forming dahlia with pompon-style flower heads that appear from July to October. The plant is deciduous and suits a south-facing, sheltered spot. It prefers loam at neutral pH which remains moist but well drained and performs best in full sun. Hardiness is H3 (borderline), so it may need winter protection in the coldest sites.

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 'Nicola Jane' is a clump-forming cultivar carrying compact pompon blooms through July to October. The plant dies back for winter and produces its flowering display over the summer and into early autumn, making it a seasonal presence where space allows in late-summer borders. Give it a sunny, south-facing position protected from strong winds; exposure should be sheltered to keep stems and flowers intact. Plant into loam with a neutral pH and ensure the soil stays moist but drains freely — water during dry spells to maintain flowering. Hardiness H3 (borderline) indicates that in chillier parts of the UK you should plan for winter protection or temporary shelter. Dahlia 'Nicola Jane' works well in city courtyards, cottage and informal beds, and as a cut-flower source. The pompon heads suit short to medium-length vase work and can be tucked into mixed borders where neat, globular blooms are required. Because the foliage is deciduous, plan planting schemes that hide the dying foliage or pair with plants that will fill the gap once the dahlia has finished for the season. The compact pompon blooms provide tidy stems for cutting from July to October.

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

H3

Plant details

Dahlia 'Nicola Jane' (Pom) size, habit and characteristics

Habit

Clump forming

Foliage

Deciduous

Suggested uses

City and courtyard gardens, Cottage and informal garden, Cut flowers, Flower borders and beds

Care notes

Pruning and caring for Dahlia 'Nicola Jane' (Pom)

Propagation

Softwood cuttings, Division of tubers

Pest resistance

Aphids, Capsid bugs, Caterpillars, Earwigs, Glasshouse red spider mite, Slugs

Disease resistance

Powdery mildews, Fungal rots, Virus causing stunting, leaf markings, and distortion

Frequently asked questions

More in the Dahlia genus

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  Dahlia 'LB Michael Braithwaite' (D)
• Dahlia 'Amazing Grace' (Misc)
• Dahlia 'Aurora's Kiss' (Ba)
• Dahlia 'Black Diamond' (Ba)