Overview
Dahlia 'Polar Ice' is a bushy, clump-forming perennial in the genus Dahlia, part of the Asteraceae family, with green foliage. Dahlia 'Polar Ice' 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. It is native to Mexico.
About
Dahlia 'Polar Ice' is a tuberous perennial known for its large, pure white, decorative blooms with a slight hint of cream. It typically grows to a medium height with sturdy stems and dark 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
- neutral to slightly acidic
- Soil moisture
- moderate
- Aspect
- south-facing
- Exposure
- sheltered
- UK hardiness
- H4
Plant details
Dahlia 'Polar Ice' size, habit and characteristics
- Plant type
- perennial
- Habit
- Bushy, Clump-forming
- Foliage
- Green
- Suggested uses
- borders, cut flowers, containers
- Native to
- Mexico
Care notes
Pruning and caring for Dahlia 'Polar Ice'
- Cultivation
- Plant tubers in spring after the last frost. Provide support for taller stems. Water regularly but avoid waterlogging.
- Pruning
- Deadhead spent flowers to encourage continuous blooming. Cut back stems after flowering season.
- Propagation
- tuber division, cuttings
- Pest resistance
- Generally pest-free
- Disease resistance
- Generally disease-free
Frequently asked questions
How do I grow Dahlia 'Polar Ice'?
Plant tubers in spring after the last frost. Provide support for taller stems. Water regularly but avoid waterlogging.
Where is the best place to plant Dahlia 'Polar Ice'?
Dahlia 'Polar Ice' prefers full sun. It suits sheltered positions.
What soil does Dahlia 'Polar Ice' need?
Dahlia 'Polar Ice' 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 'Polar Ice'?
Deadhead spent flowers to encourage continuous blooming. Cut back stems after flowering season.
Is Dahlia 'Polar Ice' hardy in the UK?
Dahlia 'Polar Ice' 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 'Polar Ice'?
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)