Dahlia Still Going Strong

Dahlia Still Going Strong is a recent creation that stands out for its particularly early and prolonged flowering, as well as for the unusual colour of its blooms, a beautiful dark red with mahogany undertones. Its simple and moderately sized flowers, borne on tall flower stalks, are produced abundantly from late July until October. Stunning in shrub and flower beds, it also makes an excellent cut flower.

Dahlias, belonging to the Asteraceae family, are originally native to the high plateaus of Mexico. Currently, the approximately 20,000 horticultural varieties created by humans have arrived in gardens worldwide, much to our delight.
The 'Still Going Strong' variety is a landscape-type dahlia. The plant will reach a height of about 1.20 m (4ft) and has a bushy habit. Its flower heads take the form of pretty, round, single corollas with a diameter of 10 cm (4in), composed of a row of dark red ligulate florets that are fully open, surrounding a wide central disk of golden yellow, which is highly visited by bees and butterflies. The very branched stems are hollow, and the leaves are opposite and divided into 3 or 5 finely toothed lobes. The leaves are dark green, while the flower stalks are more or less reddish.

 
To encourage repeat blooming and extend the flowering period, make sure to remove faded flowers. Even better, regularly cut them to create attractive, colourful bouquets by combining various varieties.

The Dahlia Still Going Strong, with its mahogany-toned flowers reminiscent of large cosmos, will create remarkably colourful spots in beds alongside Echinaceas, Heleniums, and bronze fennel, for example. It also pairs well with the vibrant flowers of marigolds. Consider also combining it with Pennisetum villosum, a lovely feathery grass, to bring softness and delicacy to the decor.

As a star plant in borders and ornamental gardens, dahlias confidently accompany the most beautiful flowers as well as the humblest vegetables. They allow for beautiful potted displays or charming bouquets. In Mexico, this tuberous plant was initially cultivated as a root vegetable for consumption. However, its poor taste qualities assigned it the status of an ornamental plant. Since then, the interest in their beautiful exuberance has never waned.