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Dahlia Surprise

Dahlia Surprise
Dahlia

4,7/5
13 reviews
1 reviews
0 reviews
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1 reviews

Absolutely stunning and a continuous blooming over several months.

Gilles, 03/08/2021

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This plant carries a 6 months recovery warranty

More information

Value-for-money
A variety with large star-shaped flowers. The elegant ligules with clean lines are magenta and gold in colour. A single inflorescence that will perfectly accompany your summer flowering borders and brighten up autumn with these vibrant tones. Dahlias are quite easy to grow but require some work as the tubers need to be stored away each winter.
Flower size
10 cm
Height at maturity
1 m
Spread at maturity
70 cm
Exposure
Sun
Hardiness
Hardy down to -4°C
Soil moisture
Moist soil
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Best planting time May
Recommended planting time April to May
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Flowering time July to November
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Description

The Dahlia 'Honka Surpise' is a variety with large star-shaped flowers. The elegant ligules with clean lines are magenta and gold in colour. A simple inflorescence that will perfectly accompany your summer-flowering borders and brighten up autumn with these vibrant tones.

 

Dahlias belong to the large family of asteraceae, originally from the high plateaus of Mexico. Currently, the approximately 20,000 horticultural varieties obtained by humans have invaded, much to our delight, gardens all over the world.
The inflorescence of 'Honka Surprise' forms a star that also resembles the shape of a small windmill. What a contrast with the plump Dahlias we already know! The capitula are 8 to 10 cm (3 to 4in) in diameter. A single row of eight long twisted ligules, golden yellow on the obverse and magenta on the reverse, encircles a wide central disc of amber yellow. The simplicity of its elegance makes this recently bred variety unique. The plant will reach a height of 100 cm (39in) and a width of 70 cm (28in). Its very branched stems are hollow and its leaves are opposite and divided into 3 or 5 very denticulate lobes. The plant has a bushy habit and, as a large variety, it will be necessary to ensure that it grows wider to strengthen its structure.

The flowering of Dahlias is exceptionally long, starting in July and ending in November. To promote repeat flowering and extend this flowering period, take care to remove faded flowers. Even better, cut them regularly to create attractive colourful bouquets by combining various varieties.
Easy to grow, Dahlias require a bit of work as the tubers need to be stored in winter. In the back of the border, the airy foliage of bronze fennel and diamond grass will enhance the texture of your Dahlias. Add a few Helenium Hoopesii with their old gold color to perfect a refined and romantic display.

Today, essential in gardens of priests, Dahlias were initially cultivated in Mexico as a root vegetable. Their poor taste quickly relegated them to the status of ornamental plants, but they are still welcome in vegetable gardens to add a bit of color among the vegetables.

Dahlia Surprise in pictures

Dahlia Surprise (Flowering) Flowering

Plant habit

Height at maturity 1 m
Spread at maturity 70 cm
Growth rate normal

Flowering

Flower colour two-tone
Flowering time July to November
Inflorescence Flower head
Flower size 10 cm
Good for cut flowers Cut flower blooms

Foliage

Foliage persistence Deciduous
Foliage colour medium green

Botanical data

Genus

Dahlia

Cultivar

Surprise

Family

Asteraceae

Other common names

Dahlia

Origin

Cultivar or hybrid

Product reference12531

Other Honka Dahlia

3
From €6.90 2L/3L pot

Planting and care

The 'Honka Surprise' Dahlia is easy to grow in all regions. For abundant flowering, it is good to follow a few simple rules. Plant the tubers in a sunny location after the last frost, in rich, fresh, and well-drained soil. However, stagnant moisture would promote tuber rot. Feel free to amend the soil with compost and sand if necessary. Work the soil deeply and enrich it, for example, with crushed horn or dehydrated blood. Place your tuber and crumble the soil well to fill without air pockets. Your dahlia should be covered with about 6 cm (2in) of soil. At the end of planting, water once abundantly and then regularly water for the first 6 weeks to aid in rooting. Dahlias are sensitive to cold, so they need to be overwintered. In November, the first frosts blacken the foliage, which is the time to dig them up. Carefully remove the tubers, taking off as much soil as possible. Let the foliage dry so that the tubers can replenish their reserves. Then cut the stems to 10 cm (4in). Spread your bulbs in a box on newspaper. Store them in a frost-free, dry, cool, and dark place, such as a garage or attic. In southern regions, close to the coast, where there are few frosty days per year, you can leave them in place. In this case, simply cover the ground with a layer of leaves or straw for protection. This tall Dahlia, with its hollow stems, does not withstand wind or heavy rain well. To overcome this inconvenience, you can stake it, but let's agree, it's not very aesthetic. However, by pinching the stems early or removing the axial flower buds, you can spread out the plant's habit, which will offer more resistance to bad weather. At the same time, you channel the sap flow to a single flower, which will become larger and sturdier.

Planting period

Best planting time May
Recommended planting time April to May
Planting depth 7 cm

Intended location

Suitable for Meadow
Type of use Border, Back of border
Hardiness Hardy down to -4°C (USDA zone 9b) Show map
Ease of cultivation Amateur
Planting density 1 per m2
Exposure Sun
Soil pH Any
Soil moisture Moist soil, Well-drained.

Care

Pruning No pruning necessary
Soil moisture Moist soil
Disease resistance Very good
Overwinter Needs to be stored
4,7/5
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Dahlias

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