Cafe au Lait Royal: Decorative Dahlia Tubers

There's a rather sophisticated trend underway at the moment for dahlias in muted coffee and pink tones. And Cafe au Lait Royal is right there, a dusky star in a heavenly firmament of dahlias. The blooms are seriously huge, up to 25cm across, with double petals that are more strawberry milkshake than latte when they first open, but which quickly and handsomely transform to faded cappuccino, the petals gently streaked. The foliage and stems are of a fresh mid-green.
Browse our other Decorative Dahlias or our full range of Dahlias here.

Like most dahlias, the flowers are perfect for bringing indoors to create fantastical arrangements. If you've a wedding planned for late summer, grow plenty of these: bouquets of dusky pink and coffee coloured dahlias are all the rage – just take a look on Pinterest! It flowers from mid to late summer right up to the first frosts. Keep picking to encourage more blooms.

Features

Colour: Light Pink fading to milky coffee
Foliage: Mid-Green
Flower Size: 25cm
Type: Decorative Dahlia
Cutting: Yes
Height/Spread: To 90cm x 60cm
Flowering: July to November
Outdoor Planting Months: March to July

Growing Cafe au Lait Dahlias

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.

Planting Companions for Cafe au Lait

As it grows to almost 1m in height, it is best planted towards the centre of a bed or border.

Try planting with other dahlias in similar faded colours of ivory, peach, apricot and cream to create a beautiful, serene scene. Or deep orange and bronze David Howard would make a nice contrast. At the front of the border bronzed ornamental grasses such as Anemanthele lessoniana complement dahlias beautifully. Or combine with other late-summer stars such as Japanese anemones, Verbena bonariensis and fluffy, wafting pennisetums.

Did You Know?

A relative of Cafe au Lait, apparently the most famous dahlia in the world, which goes back to 1968, when it was introduced by Dutch breeders Bruidegom. Royal has the same flower form but a slightly more intense colouring. Cafe au Lait became a sell-out dahlia a few years ago after it was featured by cult US TV personality Martha Stewart in Martha Stewart Weddings. So get it while you can!

If you ignore seed, Dahlias can be planted at three stages: as tubers, rooted cuttings and pot-grown plants.

Tubers can be planted at any time from March onwards. The hole should be at least double the diameter of the tuber laid out on the ground. Incorporate about 25% well rotted compost and if drainage is in any way doubtful then add plenty of horticultural grit as well. Plant one tuber per hole, leaving 60-80 cms between plants (depending on final size) and make sure the tuber is covered with 10-12 cms (4-5") of soil. This is important as it will insulate the tuber against frosts in March-May as they will take a couple of months to show.

Rooted cuttings, which are available from early April onwards, will need to be potted up and kept in a sunny and frost free place until they are ready to be planted out in mid May. Their treatment then is the same as for tubers except they are planted level with rather than 10 cms below the surrounding soil level.

Pot grown plants are not delivered until June, and are then planted out immediately in the same way as an established rooted cutting.

The more you deadhead, the more flowers you'll get.

Read our full terms and conditions here.

Delivery: Our standard delivery charges are:

Small box (Orders containing only seedlings or rooted cuttings) £7.20 including VAT per order (FREE For ORDERS Over £60 inc VAT)
Standard box (Bareroots up to 1.2m) £11.40 including VAT per order (FREE For ORDERS Over £60 inc VAT)
Large box (Pots up to and incl. 7.5L) £15.00 including VAT per order (FREE For ORDERS Over £100 inc VAT)
Trees & Hedging (Bareroots & trees 1.2m+) £18.00 including VAT per order (FREE For ORDERS Over £120 inc VAT)
Pallets (Root balls, large pots, trees etc) £60.00 including VAT per order (FREE For ORDERS Over £240 inc VAT)

*Surcharges to the Highlands and Islands still apply.

Because couriers sometimes experience delays, we schedule delivery by week, not by day. Therefore, please plan your planting day for the weekend at the end of the delivery week or for the week following delivery, at the earliest.
We will email you the day before your plants are due to arrive.

Payment: We do not charge your card until we begin to prepare your order for packing.

Guarantee: If any plants die within a year, we will replace them. We only ask that you follow our planting & growing instructions and sent us clear photographs of the dead plants in situ, so we can help to make sure that the replacement plants succeed. You only pay for the delivery of the replacements.

Please note that our guarantee is void if there is a hosepipe ban in your area: your newly planted hedging must be watered in dry weather while it is establishing. The best way to water is very thoroughly every few days: at least once a week in summer if there is no heavy rain.

Our nursery has been supplying container grown and bareroot hedging plants to gardeners, farmers and town planners since 1949. Our website started in 2003, so we do understand the concerns that you may have about buying hedging plants online. If any of your plants are damaged when they arrive or if you are otherwise not satisfied with your order after you inspect it, please repackage it and contact us. We will give you a refund or send replacements and send a courier to come and collect the unwanted plants.

Shade	Full Sun
Soil	Good, Well Drained
Colour	Pink (Light), White/Cream
Type	Tuber
Also Good	Repeat Flowering, Vase Life
Flowering	Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov

	Buy 3 or more plants and save

SIZES	1-2	3+
Tuber	Out of Stock - Ordering Now £4.45	Out of Stock - Ordering Now£3.70
	Prices include VAT

Cafe au Lait Royal Dahlia Tubers

Dahlia Cafe au Lait Royal (Decorative)