Dahlia 'Weston Flamingo' (C) — Clump forming

Overview

Dahlia 'Weston Flamingo' (C) is a clump forming bedding in the genus Dahlia, part of the Asteraceae family, with deciduous foliage. Dahlia 'Weston Flamingo' (C) grows best in full sun, and tolerates most soils and any pH. Its UK hardiness is rated H3. Suggested uses include city and courtyard gardens, coastal, cottage and informal garden and patio and container plants. It is native to Western South America, Mexico and Central America.

About

Dahlia 'Weston Flamingo' is a clump-forming, herbaceous perennial grown as a bedding dahlia for summer and autumn flowering from July to October. It has deciduous foliage and performs best in full sun on a south- or west-facing, sheltered aspect. The plant suits a wide range of soils — clay, loam or sand — and tolerates acid to alkaline pH, provided the ground is moist but well-drained. With an H3 hardiness rating it is borderline hardy and will need winter protection in colder parts of the UK.

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 'Weston Flamingo' is presented as a clump-forming herbaceous perennial in the Dahlia genus, with origins in Western South America, Mexico and Central America. As a bedding dahlia it produces its display through the warmer months, flowering from July to October. Position plants in full sun on a south- or west-facing, sheltered aspect to make the most of the season. Soil can be clay, loam or sand and the variety tolerates acid, neutral and alkaline conditions; aim for a moist but well-drained medium rather than waterlogged ground. The foliage is deciduous, so the plant dies back after the season. Rated H3 (borderline) for UK hardiness, Dahlia 'Weston Flamingo' will benefit from protection in colder areas or exposed sites. Its suggested uses include city and courtyard gardens, coastal positions, cottage and informal borders, and patios or containers where a sheltered, sunny aspect can be provided. Expect the main period of interest to run from July to October.

Growing conditions

Best soil and position for Dahlia

Sunlight: Full sun
Soil type: Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil pH: Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil moisture: Moist but well-drained, Well-drained
Aspect: South-facing, West-facing
Exposure: Sheltered
UK hardiness: H3

Plant details

Dahlia 'Weston Flamingo' (C) size, habit and characteristics

Plant type: Bedding, Herbaceous Perennial
Habit: Clump forming
Foliage: Deciduous
Suggested uses: City and courtyard gardens, Coastal, Cottage and informal garden, Patio and container plants
Native to: Western South America, Mexico, Central America

Care notes

Pruning and caring for Dahlia 'Weston Flamingo' (C)

Propagation: Propagate by softwood cuttings taken in spring from shoots from stored tubers, or divide the tubers ensuring each division has a viable bud
Pest resistance: May be susceptible to aphids, leaf miners, glasshouse red spider mite and slugs. Earwigs sometimes damage blooms. Capsid bug and caterpillars are occasional pests
Disease resistance: May be susceptible to powdery mildews in dry conditions. In wet weather grey moulds and other fungal rots can be a problem. Fungal rots can also damage stored tubers. A virus may cause stunting, leaf markings and distortion

Frequently asked questions

Where is the best place to plant Dahlia 'Weston Flamingo' (C)?

Dahlia 'Weston Flamingo' (C) prefers full sun. It suits sheltered positions.

What soil does Dahlia 'Weston Flamingo' (C) need?

Dahlia 'Weston Flamingo' (C) is adaptable and grows happily in most soil types, including clay, loam and sand. It is happy in soil of any pH. Aim for soil that stays moist but well-drained to well-drained.

Is Dahlia 'Weston Flamingo' (C) hardy in the UK?

Dahlia 'Weston Flamingo' (C) has an RHS hardiness rating of H3, meaning it is half-hardy, tolerating -5 to 1°C, and may need winter protection in colder areas.

How do I propagate Dahlia 'Weston Flamingo' (C)?

Propagate by softwood cuttings taken in spring from shoots from stored tubers, or divide the tubers ensuring each division has a viable bud.

More in the Dahlia genus

Browse all Dahlia →