Dahlia Orange Perception

Dahlia 'Orange Perception' is a variety of Dahlia from the Decorative group that leaves a very soft impression. Its small flowers are double, with a soft orange colour, with straight and flat petals ending in ivory white tips that give it its distinction. The vigorous and floriferous plant forms a large flowering bush from summer until frost. Its flowers, carried by long stems, are superb in flowerbeds, but also in bouquets, where they bring freshness.

Dahlias are tuberous plants from the large aster family, originally from the high plateaus of Mexico. At present, the approximately 25,000 horticultural varieties obtained by humans have invaded, to our greatest pleasure, gardens all over the world. Dahlias are classified according to the shape of their flowers. 'Orange Perception' is classified in the category of Decorative Dahlias. In this group, the coloured ligules of the head are arranged regularly in a spiral, they can be curved towards the stem or curled, for example. In this waterlily-flowered variety, the inflorescences in wide heads of 11cm (4in) are composed of numerous almost flat ligules. Their colour is a soft orange, and the petals are tipped with ivory white. Flowering takes place from July to September-October. The plant will reach approximately 90cm (35in) in height and 60cm (24in) in width, with a bushy and erect habit. The very branched stems are hollow and the leaves are opposite, palmatisect, meaning they are subdivided into 3 or 5 leaflets, which form very denticulate lobes. The leaves and stems are dark green.

If you take care to remove faded flowers, you will enjoy a prolonged flowering. Even more pleasant, create beautiful dense bouquets with these generous dahlias by combining various varieties. Lighten the silhouette of decorative dahlias by associating them with more airy flowers such as Gauras, salvias, or Echinaceas. Fine-leaved plants like grasses play the same role and add beautiful golden spikes. Place 'Orange Perception' in the middle of a mass of bushes and lower perennials. Flowers in shades of orange, white, green, and purple are beautiful companions for this variety, as are purple foliage, such as that of the Loropetalum, for example.

As a star plant in cottage gardens, Dahlias are undoubtedly beautiful flowers. They are perfect in flowerbeds, but can also enhance the vegetable garden. In Mexico, this tuberous plant was first cultivated as a root vegetable for consumption. Its poor taste quickly relegated it to the rank of an ornamental plant. Since then, the interest in their beautiful exuberance has never waned.