Dahlia Rocco

Dahlia 'Rocco' bears an abundance of small pink-purple pompoms with a mauve centre. They bloom on sturdy plants from July to October. They combine perfectly with a whole range of flowers, which is not always the case with large-flowered dahlias. Its cut flowers are beautiful in bouquets.

Dahlias belong to the Asteraceae family and are originally from the high plateaus of Mexico. There are currently thousands of horticultural varieties that have conquered gardens worldwide. 

'Rocco' will not exceed 90cm (35in) in height and 50cm (20in) in diameter. It is a pompom dahlia, a horticultural category defined by the shape of the flower. In this group, the heads are modest in size, but produced in abundance, and the tubular ligules form a perfectly spherical inflorescence that has a honeycomb-like structure. The flowers of 'Rocco' are slightly flattened and are about 5cm (2in) in diameter. The ligules are dark pink-purple, and those in the centre are more violet. The golden heart of the flower only appears late, just before fading. Flowering takes place from July to October. The habit is bushy and upright. The branched stems are hollow. Its leaves are opposite, pinnately divided into 3 or 5 toothed lobes. The leaves and stems are a medium green.

Remove faded flowers to encourage new blooms. You can use cut flowers to make colourful bouquets, combining them with other varieties. 

'Rocco' blends well with all summer and autumn flowers. In flower beds, plant it with shades of pink and purple, alongside echinaceas that bloom at the same time. It also works well with asters, large daisies, English roses, or even the stargazer lily. 

Dahlias are stars of borders and ornamental gardens, confidently accompanying the most beautiful flowers. However, they are also appreciated alongside vegetable plants. In Mexico, this tuberous plant was first cultivated as a root vegetable for consumption. Its poor taste qualities quickly saw it categorised as an ornamental plant. Since then, the interest in their beautiful exuberance has never waned.