From £12.96
From £12.96
One of the best modern decorative Dahlia varieties, American Dawn is so different it leaves people speechless. Check out the descriptions on the internet - no two writers seem able to agree on its many colours! Whatever the colours, they are certainly the colours of a wonderful sunrise.
Browse our other Decorative Dahlias or our full range of Dahlias here.
The flowers (10cm-15cm wide) do indeed change colour over time, from a peony pink/purple bud, opening to a predominantly rich fuchsia/purple. As the petals age, they turn a tropical blend of warm apricot, mango and peach (or is it coral-apricot?). To top it all off, the petals are streaked on the back with plum tones, making an explosion of colour!
Many gardeners have remarked on its robust strength and healthiness in a garden setting, making it a very special dahlia. Its long, dark purple stems contrast with the green foliage to make it an excellent, long-lasting cut flower.
All dahlias do best in deep rich soil with good drainage in a sunny spot. If it is windy they will need staking. They are greedy, thirsty plants so will need watering in dry spells, and they will always flower that little bit better if there is a bit of soluble food in the watering can once every couple of weeks.
It is generally more convenient to put support stakes in at planting time, rather than leaving it until there is foliage in the way.
At a compact 90cm x 60cm, they look great in pots on the patio and stunning in large groups, or used as a mid-size border plant behind herbaceous perennials.
American Dawn is Dutch, raised by MJ Komen, and was introduced in 2007. It is one of the modern dahlias bred for cutting-edge colour-changing blooms, sturdy dark stems and abundant production.