Rocco Dahlia Tubers

• Variety: Rocco
• Type: Pompon
• Colour: Vibrant fuchsia-purple, starting deeper and lightening through the season
• Flower size: 5cm across
• Height: 75cm
• Spread: 50cm
• Flowering: July to November
• Cutting: Yes. Perfect scale for table vases and mixed arrangements
• Wind tolerance: Good. Purple-flushed sturdy stems hold up well
• RHS AGM: No
• 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

Dahlia Rocco: Tiny Purple Pompons That Shrug Off the Wind

Pompon dahlias are the miniatures of the dahlia world, and Rocco is one of the best. The flowers are only 5cm across, almost perfectly spherical, with silky petals curving inward in tight layers. The colour has been described as fuchsia, magenta, beetroot, purple, lilac and reddish-purple, depending on who's looking and what time of season it is. The honest answer is all of the above. It starts the season at the deeper, more purple end and lightens towards fuchsia as autumn arrives.

At 75cm with a compact spread, Rocco is one of the smaller dahlias in the range. The stems are sturdy with a purple flush, and here's the practical advantage: in a windy garden where bigger dahlias get battered, Rocco's small, tight flowers bob on their stems without damage. If you've lost dinnerplate blooms to a gust before, you'll appreciate a dahlia that doesn't mind a bit of weather.

The flowers are produced in profusion. Deadhead regularly and you'll have masses of those little jewel-coloured balls from July to November. They're a delight for cutting, especially for small table vases where a dinnerplate dahlia would overwhelm the arrangement.

Planting Partners for Rocco

The vibrant fuchsia-purple mixes well with both warm and cool schemes. For a jewel-toned border, plant Rocco at the front with Dark Spirit (near-black decorative, 90cm) behind and the deep claret of Moor Place (another pompon, but in burgundy, bred in 1955) alongside. For contrast, the warm orange globes of Sylvia (ball dahlia, 80cm) set off the purple beautifully. In a pastel scheme, the white-and-pink Crazy Love or the delicate Arbatax (watercolour-edged decorative) provide a softer backdrop.

Why Ashridge?

Our dahlia tubers are Dutch first-class quality, imported direct and hand-graded by us. We discard undersized tubers so you get a clump with viable eyes, ready to show you what they can do. Delivered by next-day courier from March, with our one-year plant guarantee, Feefo Platinum Service Award, and gardeners in Somerset on the end of the phone. Browse our other pompon dahlias or the complete dahlia collection.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between a pompon and a ball dahlia?

Size, mainly. Both have the same form: tightly spiralled petals building to a globe. Pompons are under 5cm, ball dahlias are 5 to 15cm. Rocco at 5cm sits right on the borderline. The effect is similar but the scale is different: pompons are daintier, better for small arrangements, and generally more wind-tolerant because the flowers are lighter. Our dahlia classification guide covers all the types.

Is Rocco good in windy gardens?

One of the better choices. The 5cm flowers are light enough not to catch wind the way dinnerplates do, and the purple-flushed stems are notably sturdy. In a sheltered spot it won't need staking at all. In an exposed garden, a light support ring is cheap insurance but you probably won't need individual canes.

Will Rocco grow in a pot?

Happily. At 75cm with a compact 50cm spread and small flowers, Rocco is well suited to containers. A pot of at least 25cm will work. Feed fortnightly from June and deadhead often. It looks good on its own or underplanted with a trailing Heuchera. Our container guide has more detail.

Does the colour really change through the season?

Noticeably. Early flowers in July and August are deeper, more intensely purple. As the nights get cooler into September and October, the colour lightens towards fuchsia and pink-purple. You'll have a range of shades on the plant at any one time. It's part of the character.

How many flowers will Rocco produce?

A lot. Pompon dahlias are naturally prolific, and Rocco is no exception. A single well-fed plant in good soil will produce dozens of flowers over the season. Deadheading is the key: every time you remove a spent bloom, the plant channels energy into the next bud. Stop deadheading and it'll slow down. Our dahlia growing guide covers all the seasonal care.