Dahlia Gallery Cobra

Dahlia 'Gallery Cobra' catches everyone's attention with its truly flamboyant flowers. They are fully double, 10cm (4in) wide, and display a salmon-orange colour mixed with primrose yellow. Each slightly turbinate petal is adorned with a red underside. They bloom from June until the first frosts, on compact bushes dressed in particularly dark green foliage. Like all varieties in the Gallery series, it has a compact habit and excellent floribundity. It is specifically developed for ornamental containers and flower beds.

Dahlias belong to the Asteraceae family and are originally from the high plateaus of Mexico. There are currently thousands of horticultural varieties that have conquered gardens worldwide. 

'Gallery Cobra' is a dwarf variety related to decorative and cactus dahlias. The plant will not exceed 40 to 45cm (16 to 18in) in all directions. It has a bushy and compact habit that does not require staking. Flowering takes place from June to October-November. The dense flower heads measure 7 to 10cm (3 to 4in) in diameter. They resemble slightly flattened and well-organised balls, composed of numerous rows of peripheral ligulate florets that are quite long and weakly recurved towards the stem, with the central ones being smaller and wider. Their colour is a mix of yellow, orange, and red. The red colour is more pronounced on the edges of the petals and at the heart of the flower, before full bloom. At the end of anthesis, the yellow central disc appears. The branched stems are hollow, and the leaves are opposite and divided into 3 or 5 denticulate lobes. The leaves and stems are dark green, which enhances the flowering.

Remove faded flowers to encourage new blooms. You can use cut flowers to make colourful bouquets, combining them with other varieties.

'Gallery Cobra' is wonderful in a flowering pot. It also thrives in the front of borders or in flower beds. It pairs particularly well with the foliage of grasses, such as Pennisetum villosum (a lovely feathery grass), Hordeum jubatum (squirrel-tail barley), or Stipa pennata. Grasses will bring softness and delicacy. It also looks splendid with white blooms, especially those of asters (Aster 'Ashvi', A. 'Snow Flurry').

Dahlias are stars of borders and ornamental gardens, confidently accompanying the most beautiful flowers. However, they are also appreciated alongside vegetable plants. In Mexico, this tuberous plant was first cultivated as a root vegetable for consumption. Its poor taste qualities quickly saw it categorised as an ornamental plant. Since then, the interest in their beautiful exuberance has never waned.