'Babette' Dahlia
Perennial
- Perfectly round, deep wine-red blooms with yellow centers!
- Sun-loving perennials ideal for borders, cut florals, & cottage gardens.
- Tuberous roots allow for cold climate gardeners to dig up for the following year.
- Zones 8-11, full sun, 3-4’ tall and 1-2’ wide, with 3-4” blooms.
ZONE
EXPOSURE
HEIGHT
Description
Native to Mexico and South America, dahlias are late-season bloomers that boast flowers from midsummer to the first frost in fall. They thrive in hot and sunny gardens, but gardeners in cold climates can also enjoy them! Since they have tuberous roots, cold-climate gardeners can dig up the tubers and save them for the following season. Dahlias are a perfect fit for borders, cottage gardens, and pollinator gardens, and they make a lovely addition to any cut flower bouquet. When given full sun, moist soils, and protection from wind, they'll reward you with months of colorful flowers.
Great Garden Tip: tubers will need to be lifted in fall in zones 3-7 to grow the following year.
Details
Common name: Dahlia
Zone: 8-11
Sun exposure: Sun (> 6 hours direct sunlight)
Height x width: 3-4' tall x 1-2' wide
Flower color: Dark red
Foliage color: Green
Planting Season: Spring
Season of interest: Summer through late fall
Bloom time: Summer, fall
Features: Heat tolerant, container plants, low maintenance, pollinator-friendly, cut flower
Uses: Border, mass planting, container plantings, cut flower, cottage garden, pollinator garden
How to Grow
Light: Full sun. Dahlias thrive in 6-8 hours of direct sun, with an additional fondness for morning sun.
Planting Depth: Deep enough to cover with 2” of soil.
Water: Average once established. When planting the tuber, watering is not encouraged immediately as it may encourage rot, but as soon as the dahlias are above ground, water deeply to encourage root growth. Keep Dahlia foliage as dry as possible in order to discourage disease.
Spacing: 12-18”
Fertilizing: Apply a 5-10-10 or 10-20-20 fertilizer after the plants sprout. Reapply every three weeks from mid-summer until fall.
Winterizing: Lift in zones 3-7 before first frost. Zone 8-11 may either lift their tubers before frost or cover thickly with mulch.
Maintenance & pruning: Cut back foliage in preparation for digging the tubers up before the first frost. Leave around 1-2" of stem on the tubers.
Plant spacing is based on the ultimate width of the plants. This figure is normally given as a range; for example, 3-5’. If you live in a cold climate and/or want plants to fill in more quickly, plan to space at the shorter end of the range. If you live in a warm climate, are on a limited budget, or are willing to wait longer for plants to touch, use the higher end of the range. Using the larger number is recommended when calculating distance from a building or structure. There’s really no such thing as "maximum spacing": if you don’t want your plants to touch, you can space them as far apart as you’d like. All plant spacing is calculated on center, or in other words, the centers of the plants are spaced one half of their eventual width apart:
Unless you are planting in a straight line, as you might for hedges or edging, space your plants in a staggered or zig-zag pattern for a more interesting and naturalistic look:
Not sure just how many plants will fit in your garden? Our calculator gives you the exact amount of plants required for your space. Simply update the values and the calculator will re-calculate accordingly. Spacing information can be found in the 'How to Grow' tab on each plant's page.