Dahlia Arabian Night

Dahlia 'Arabian Night' caused a sensation when it was presented to a panel of experts on flower bulbs in 2007. It must be said that its large double flowers, almost black in a rich and very dark Bordeaux red, display an unusual colouration. These flowers enhance pastel tones and complement warm tones, both in flower beds and in vases. With a beautiful, bushy stature, the plant develops long stems and beautiful foliage, making it a perfect companion for low shrubs or lightly flowering perennials. An exceptional companion for Buenos Aires verbena and Dahlia 'Babylon Rose'.

Dahlias belong to the Asteraceae family and are originally native to the high plateaus of Mexico. Currently, the approximately 25,000 horticultural varieties developed by humans have invaded gardens around the world, much to our delight.
The 'Arabian Night' variety, registered in 1951, is classified as a decorative dahlia, which is a horticultural category defined by the shape of the flower. In this group, the colourful ligules of the head are regularly arranged in a spiral, and they can be curved towards the stem or even fringed. In the case of the 'Arabian Night' variety, the inflorescences in heads measure 10cm (4in) in diameter and their ligules or petals are slightly incurved. Each flower, in a very dark red colour, has a few small green floral bracts in its centre. The massive flowering takes place from July to October. The plant has a bushy habit, reaching approximately 1.20m (4ft) in height when in bloom and 50-60cm (20-24in) in width. The highly branched stems are hollow but robust, and the leaves are opposite and pinnatisect, meaning they are divided into 3 or 5 very toothed lobes. The leaves of this variety are a medium green-blue colour, while the stems are slightly reddish at their tips.

To encourage continuous flowering, make sure to remove faded flowers, or even better, regularly make large colourful bouquets by combining it with other varieties. 'Arabian Night' can create a beautiful massif on its own, but its flowers can be enhanced by lighter and more discreet blooms, such as paniculate Gypsophila, chamomiles, Gauras, or white toadflax (Linaria purpurea 'Alba'). In flower beds, this variety elegantly pairs with white dahlias, and boldly pairs with its pink or salmon-coloured siblings. The combination of orange tones with the range of blues and purples, although rare, is remarkable: think of mauve Phlox paniculata, Buenos Aires verbena, blue Campanulas, and autumn asters, for example. This variety, with its floriferous stems, allows for beautiful bouquets late in the season.

As a star plant for borders and ornamental gardens, Dahlias confidently accompany the most beautiful flowers but are also appreciated alongside vegetable plants. In Mexico, this tuber was first cultivated as a root vegetable for consumption. However, its poor taste qualities relegated it to the status of an ornamental plant.