Dahlia Kennemerland

The Dahlia Cactus 'Kennemerland' is a fairly old variety, introduced in 1973, but timeless and easy to combine in flower beds and bouquets. Its beautiful spiky flowers are a solid and vibrant yellow, a primary hue that will undoubtedly complement all other flowerings until late in the season. Its sunny flowering is abundant from July to the first frost, on a classic-sized plant that is easy to cultivate. 

Dahlias belong to the large family of asteraceae, originally from the high plateaus of Mexico. Currently, the approximately 25,000 horticultural varieties obtained by humans have invaded, much to our delight, gardens all over the world. They are perennial plants with fleshy tubers. Dahlias are classified according to the shape of their flowers. The Dahlia 'Kennemerland' is classified in the category of Cactus Dahlias. In this group, the flowers are large, and the colorful ligules that make them up are completely rolled up on themselves, giving them a spiky appearance. In this Kennemerland variety, the heads are 15 to 20cm (6 to 8in) in diameter and are composed of long, narrow, rolled-up petals with tapering tips. The plant will reach a minimum height of 90cm (35in) and a width of 50cm (20in), with a bushy and upright habit. The very branched stems are hollow and the leaves are opposite, pinnately compound, meaning they are divided into 3 or 5 leaflets, which have very denticulate lobes. The leaves and stems are bright green, a shade that enhances the color of the flowers.

To promote continuous flowering and extend the flowering period, be sure to remove faded flowers. Even better, regularly create attractive colorful bouquets by combining various varieties. The tall stature of this variety makes it suitable for the back of perennial plant beds, where it pairs well with white, deep purple, and purple. The flowering of Echinaceas is perfect when accompanied by Dahlias, as they bloom simultaneously, as well as perennial salvias, for example. Also consider grasses like foxtail barley or Pennisetum, which are very attractive in autumn.

A star plant in curated gardens, Dahlias are undoubtedly beautiful flowers. They are perfect in flower beds but can also enhance vegetable gardens. In Mexico, this tuberous plant was initially cultivated as a root vegetable for consumption. Its poor taste qualities quickly assigned it the status of an ornamental plant. Since then, interest in their beautiful exuberance has never waned.