Dwarf Dahlia Black Beauty Seeds

Dahlia 'Black Beauty' is an award-winning dwarf dahlia with superb, almost black flowers that reveal gorgeous mahogany red tones when touched by sunlight. Each velvety flower is highlighted with a golden yellow centre. Planted en masse, they will be a great addition to any garden, no matter how small, as well as terraces or balconies. This excellent selection flowers 2-3 months after sowing, blooming prolifically on bushy plants from July until the first frosts. Ideal for borders, growing to the front of flowerbeds or in pots.

Dahlias belong to the Asteraceae family and are native to Mexico. Nowadays, some 20,000 horticultural varieties are grown in gardens all over the world. 'Black Beauty' is an amazing cultivar, bred by Thompson & Morgan and crowned with a Fleuroselect Novelty award for excellent performance and unusual flower colour. The dwarf plants have a bushy, compact habit and do not require support, growing to 35-45 cm in height and 30 cm in width. The flowering period takes place from July to October. The 8 cm wide, simple corollas are made up of a row of deep mahogany red to almost black ray flowers, surrounding a golden yellow central disc. The stems are well branched and hollow, bearing opposite leaves that are subdivided into 3 or 5 toothed lobes. Both leaves and stems are dark green. To encourage repeat flowering and extend the flowering period, take care to remove faded flowers regularly. Better still, cut the flowers regularly to create beautiful, colourful arrangements.

Dahlias are great for creating patches of colour towards the front of summer beds and borders. They combine well with Echinacea, Helenias and Cosmos or with the soft, feathery plumes of ornamental grasses such as Pennisetum villosum. This dwarf variety is particularly suitable for growing in pots and containers on the patio or balcony.