Tartan Dahlia Tubers

Tartan: Decorative Dahlia Tubers

With its mesmerising swirl of vivid stripes, Tartan is a classic dinnerplate Dahlia that will turn heads and invite comment. The long, wavy petals are deep, luscious blackcurrant - almost black at the centre - and pure bright white, on flowers up to 20cm across. It's tall, too, growing up to 110cm, with fresh green foliage and stems.
Browse our other Decorative Dahlias or our full range of Dahlias here.

Features

• Colour: Blackcurrant and white
• Flower size: 15-20cm
• Type: Decorative dinnerplate
• Cutting: Yes
• Height/spread; 110cm x 70cm
• Outdoor Planting Months: March to July

Growing Tartan Dahlias

Tartan is a bit big for anything other than a very large pot, 10 litres is probably the minimum you can get away with.

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 Tartan

In a border, it would work well with a pure-white dahlia, preferably with a simpler flower shape - try a waterlily such as Le Castel for a pleasing contrast. Dahlias also look lovely with grasses, bringing a more relaxed, informal meadow feel. Something with fluffy white or purple flowerheads would look good with Tartan, one of the pretty pennisetums perhaps.

Did You Know?

Introduced back in 1950 by a New Zealand breeder with the ironic name of Frost (which usually kills Dahlias), it is just old enough to qualify for the unofficial status of a heritage variety.

Although versions of tartan cloth have existed among Celtic populations across their huge ancestral range for centuries, the association of specific, modern patterns with Scottish clans was a 19th century aristocratic fashion that was projected backwards in history by artists. In the film Braveheart, renowned as one of the more historically inaccurate blockbusters, the Scots wear clan tartans over their shoulders, which has been described as equivalent to a film portraying cowboys wearing modern suit jackets backwards.