About
A tuberous perennial that Attains about 180cm with mid-green foliage. The flowers are 16cm across and have bright, pinky-red petals, yellow at the base, and are rolled outwards giving a spiky appearance.
About the genus
Dahlia are tuberous rooted perennials with pinnately divided leaves and showy flowerheads, double in many cultivars, in summer and autumn
Growing conditions
SunlightFull sun
Soil typeClay, Loam, Sand
Soil pHAcid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil moistureMoist but well-drained
AspectSouth-facing, West-facing, East-facing
ExposureSheltered
UK hardinessH3
Plant details
Plant typeBedding, Herbaceous Perennial
HabitClump forming
FoliageDeciduous
Height1.5-2.5 metres
Spread0.5-1 metres
Time to full height1-2 years
Suggested usesCity and courtyard gardens, Cottage and informal garden
Care notes
CultivationGrow in fertile, humus-rich, well-drained soil, enriched with organic matter, in full sun. Pinch out growing tips to encourage bushy plants and stake – see staking perennials. Water if needed in dry periods. Lift and store tubers in autumn to replant, or use as a source of cuttings, in spring. See dahlia cultivation and our video How to plant dahlia tubers and care tips
PruningDeadhead to prolong flowering. Cut back to near ground level in the autumn, before lifting and storing for the winter
PropagationPropagate by softwood cuttings taken in spring from shoots from stored tubers, or divide the tubers ensuring each division has a viable bud
Pest resistanceMay be susceptible to aphids, leaf miners, glasshouse red spider mite and slugs; earwigs sometimes damage blooms. Capsid bug and caterpillars are occasional pests
Disease resistanceMay be susceptible to powdery mildews in dry conditions; grey moulds and other fungal rots in wet conditions; fungal rots on stored tubers and a virus that causes stunting, leaf markings and distortion