Cafe au Lait Royal Dahlia Tubers

• Variety: Cafe au Lait Royal
• Type: Decorative (giant/dinnerplate)
• Colour: Dusky pink opening to strawberry-milkshake, fading through cappuccino and blush. Variable and streaked
• Flower size: Up to 25cm (10in) across
• Height: 90 to 120cm
• Spread: Approximately 70cm
• Flowering: July to first frosts
• Cutting: Excellent. Strong stems, superb vase life
• RHS AGM: No
• Origin: Sport of the original Cafe au Lait (Bruidegom, 1968)
• Sold as: Single tubers, hand-graded, Dutch first-class quality
• Plant outdoors: March to July, when soil reaches 15°C (typically May in most of the UK)
• Delivered: From March. Collection from Castle Cary also available

Cafe au Lait Royal: The Pink One, and No Two Flowers Are Quite the Same

Royal is the Cafe au Lait family member that people either adore or find slightly exasperating, depending on whether they want predictability from their dahlias. The blooms open a warm, saturated pink, closer to strawberry milkshake than pastel, then shift through dusky rose, faded cappuccino and streaky blush as they age.

Individual flowers on the same plant will be at different stages simultaneously, so the overall effect is a rolling palette of muted pinks and coffees rather than a single, fixed colour. If you've seen it on Pinterest tagged as "dusty rose dahlia" or "muted wedding dahlia," this is probably the one.

The flower form is the same as the rest of the Cafe au Lait series: enormous fully double dinnerplate heads, up to 25cm across, with broad ruffled petals arranged informally. Stems are strong enough for cutting without the heads nodding, and vase life is good, typically five to six days. It flowers from midsummer right through to the first frosts, and like all dahlias, the more you cut, the more it produces.

What to Plant Alongside Royal

Royal looks its best in tonal schemes. Plant with the original Cafe au Lait and Supreme for a gradient running from pure white through milky coffee into dusky pink, all the same height, all flowering at the same time. For a richer contrast, try it alongside David Howard (burnt orange, dark bronze foliage) or the deep red of Baccara. At the front of the border, the warm peach-and-purple globes of Wine Eyed Jill (a compact ball dahlia, 90cm) pick up the warm tones in a completely different form. Anemanthele lessoniana or soft Pennisetum catch evening light beautifully against faded pink flowers.

Why buy from Ashridge?

Our dahlia tubers are Dutch first-class quality, imported direct and hand-graded by us. We look for and reject undersized tubers and clumps lacking enough growing points. Delivered by next-day courier from March onwards, with our one-year plant guarantee, Feefo Platinum Service Award, and human support from the team in Somerset if anything isn't right. Want all the Cafes in one go? Try the Cafe au Lait mixed collection, or browse our full decorative dahlia range.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Royal differ from the original Cafe au Lait?

Colour intensity. The original opens pale pink and fades through peach, buff and milky coffee, a gentle, warm-neutral palette. Royal starts pinker and stays pinker, with more obvious streaking. Flower form and size are the same. Supreme is the pure white variant, and Twist has raspberry streaks over cream.

Will the colour be consistent?

Not at all, and that's part of the appeal. Blooms on the same plant will be at different colour stages at any one time, from fresh saturated pink to faded blush. Temperature affects it too: cooler autumn nights produce softer, more muted tones. If you need a reliable fixed pink, Royal isn't the right choice. If you want a shifting, romantic display, it's perfect.

Is Cafe au Lait Royal good for weddings?

One of the most popular with florists. The shifting pink tones suit dusky, romantic colour schemes especially well, and the stems are strong enough for bouquets and table arrangements. Plant generously. The more you cut, the more it flowers.

Can I grow Cafe au Lait Royal in a pot?

Not well enough to be worth it. At 120cm tall with 25cm flowers that hold rainwater, Royal needs deep border soil, heavy staking and room to spread. In a pot it'll be permanently hungry, top-heavy and disappointing. For a pink dahlia that works well in a container, try Caitlin's Joy (bright pink ball, compact and weather-proof) or Karma Prospero (lilac-pink waterlily, 90cm, bred for cutting). Our pots guide covers what works and what doesn't.

What happens if I don't deadhead regularly?

Flowering slows down. Once a dahlia starts setting seed it redirects energy away from new buds. With Royal, the spent flower heads are large and visible, so they're easy to spot and snip. If life gets in the way for a week or two, just cut everything spent back hard when you get round to it, give the plant a liquid feed, and it'll pick up. Our dahlia growing guide covers deadheading and seasonal care in detail.