City of Leiden Dahlia Tubers

City of Leiden: Semi-Cactus Dahlia Tubers

If you're short of space but want a plant to make maximum impact, City of Leiden Dahlias tick all the boxes. It only grows to 60cm with a spread of 45cm, but it still packs a punch with spiky, semi-cactus flowers in an astonishing magenta pink suffused with coral, making the blooms seem to glow. The flowers are 10cm-15cm across, making a tremendous show.

If that's not enough, it has the most glorious foliage - divided and dark, flushed with bronze, a perfect foil to the flowers. It's worth growing for the leaves alone!

Being fairly short, this should in theory be a dahlia you can grow even in exposed areas, but it has a tendency to go a bit floppy in the wind.
Browse our other Cactus Dahlias or our full range of Dahlias here.

Features

• Colour: Magenta pink with a coral glow
• Foliage: Dark with bronze accents
• Flower Size: 10cm to 15cm
• Type: Semi-cactus Dahlia
• Cutting: Yes
• Height/Spread: 60cm x 45cm
• Flowering: July to November
• Outdoor Planting Months: March to July

Growing City of Leiden 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 City of Leiden

This is one of the most versatile of dahlias and a reliable performer too, even in a bad summer. As it's so compact with upright but bushy growth, it is ideal for pots on the patio and will perform well until the first frosts.

Use it in a sunny mixed border and clash its hot colours with other dark and variegated foliage plants, especially deep purples, oranges, reds and yellows. It looks great with herbaceous perennials such as Salvia and contrasting Heuchera, as well as the pale greys of lavender, catmint (Nepeta), Artemisia and curry plants.

Did You Know?

It was bred by Dr Keith Hammett in New Zealand and introduced in 2004.

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.