Dahlia Danceline

The 'Danceline' decorative Dahlia is characterized by modest-sized flowers, but full of petals, and beautifully variegated in pale pink and purple. This variety develops medium-sized stems that are perfect for making bouquets. It has abundant and prolonged flowering, from July until the first frost, making it ideal for romantic compositions.

Dahlias are tuberous plants from the large Asteraceae family, originally native to the high plateaus of Mexico. Nowadays, the thousands of horticultural varieties created by humans have invaded gardens all over the world, much to our delight. Dahlias are classified based on the shape of their flowers. 'Danceline' is classified as a decorative Dahlia, specifically in the category of decorative dahlias with small flowers. In this group, the coloured ligules of the head are arranged regularly in a spiral, and they can be bent towards the stem or even curled. In this variety, the heads measure 10-11cm (4in) in diameter and their ligules are rather small, oval, concave, and curved downwards. The flowering period is from July to October-November. The plant will reach an average height of 1.10m (4ft) and a width of 50 to 60cm (20 to 24in), with a bushy and upright habit. The highly branched stems are hollow and the leaves are opposite, pinnatisect, meaning they are divided into 3 or 5 leaflets, which have very denticulate lobes. The leaves and stems are of a fairly light green colour.

To promote repeat flowering and extend the flowering period, make sure to remove faded flowers. Even better, regularly create attractive colourful bouquets by combining different varieties. Decorative Dahlias pair well with Gauras and Cleomes to lighten their generous silhouette. The flowers of 'Danceline' also make wonderful bouquets with roses and grasses. The medium size of this variety makes it suitable for the center of mixed borders, to structure a composition of bushy foliage plants and shorter plants. The flowering of Echinaceas is perfect when accompanied by Dahlias, as they bloom simultaneously, as do perennial salvias, for example.

As a star plant in cottage gardens, Dahlias are undoubtedly beautiful flowers. They are perfect in flower beds, but can also enhance vegetable gardens. In Mexico, these tuberous plants were initially cultivated as root vegetables for consumption. However, their poor taste quickly relegated them to the status of ornamental plants. Since then, the appreciation for their beautiful exuberance has never waned.