Dwarf dahlias: what are the best varieties?
Stars of borders and pots
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Their small size makes Dwarf Dahlias essential for pot planting on a balcony, on a sunny terrace, or grouped in threes or fives along the edge of a flowerbed mixed with other varieties and even for making bouquets. ‘Happy Single’, ‘Gallery’ Dahlias or Dwarf Cactus, which are the best? Discover all our tips for choosing your Dwarf Dahlia from our collection.
The great advantages of dwarf Dahlias
Small in size, Dwarf Dahlias are big on ease of cultivation! Low-maintenance, they require neither staking, nor pinching, nor pruning – simply remove the faded flowers – and offer better resistance to wind than their giant cousins, the giant dahlias. Moreover, they bloom for a long time, from summer until frost. They are radiant in the foreground of a flowerbed or as a border and sensational in pots on a sunny terrace or balcony.
Dwarf Dahlias and tall dahlias create a joyful border mixed with Pennisetum, Helenium, and Phlox – © Gap photos Robert Mabic
A choice of pruning
In the large family of Dwarf Dahlias, there are small and… small: the Dwarf Dahlias, which do not exceed 40 cm in height, and the semi-dwarfs that reach a maximum of 80 cm. Both are used in pots, in window boxes, or grouped along the edges of flower beds. All very floriferous, they stand out from afar as they guarantee an endless season of flowers. They form compact bushes and offer an abundance of small or large flowers in a wide range of colours.
Among them are the ‘Gallery’ Dahlias, about 45 cm tall, the Dwarf Cactus Dahlias, ranging from 50 to 60 cm, and the ‘Happy Single’ Dahlias, which do not exceed 60 to 80 cm. Also essential are the 60 cm tall Collarette Dwarf Dahlias and the Anemone-flowered Dwarfs, which do not exceed 40 cm at ripeness.
The anemone flowers and the compact habit of the Dahlia ‘Totally Tangerine’
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And flowers!
The flowers of Dwarf Dahlias are replicas of the tall varieties. Reminiscent of cactus flowers, water lilies, or even anemones, their shape and diameter (approximately 6 to 12 cm) vary depending on the variety. All offer bouquets of cut flowers for arrangements. Among them, we can distinguish:
- Simple dwarf dahlias (Landscape): their flowers are single like the ‘Happy Single’ with vibrant colours and purple foliage.
- Double dwarf dahlias: with solid-coloured or variegated flowers featuring two rows of petals. This category includes the opulent and colourful ‘Gallery’ Dahlias.
- Dwarf Cactus: they offer an abundance of large flowers with elongated petals in a wide range of colours.
- Dwarf dahlias with a collar: their flowers, about ten centimetres in diameter, are adorned with a lovely collar.
- Dwarf dahlias with anemone flowers: a variety covered in small flowers with wide, flat petals and a frilled centre.
The Dwarf cactus dahlia ‘Park Princess’ and its sublime flowers with frayed petals
Read also
The best Dahlias for bouquetsThe best for flowering borders
Dwarf Dahlias feature very compact foliage that requires no staking, and flowering all summer long until the frosts, two qualities that make certain varieties perfect for decorating sunny border beds. Planted at the front of the beds, they will create colourful patches alongside Asters, Heleniums, or Cosmos.
→ Also read: 5 Dahlias for Border Beds
Our favourites
Dahlia Purpinca
- Flowering time August to December
- Height at maturity 35 cm
Dahlia Aspen
- Flowering time August to December
- Height at maturity 40 cm
Dahlia Melody Dora
- Flowering time August to December
- Height at maturity 65 cm
The best to grow in pots
Dotées d’une compact and ramified vegetation, indifferent to the weather, solid against the wind, certain varieties of Dwarf Dahlias are particularly suited for pot cultivation, to adorn the terrace or balcony all summer long and into autumn. Feel free to mix them together to create multicoloured planters. Pair them with small feathery grasses like Stipa pennata, and with Asters with exuberant flowering.
Our favourites
Dahlia Bluesette
- Flowering time August to November
- Height at maturity 40 cm
Dahlia Gallery Cobra
- Flowering time August to December
- Height at maturity 40 cm
Dahlia Park Record
- Flowering time August to November
- Height at maturity 50 cm
Dahlia Melody Mambo
- Flowering time August to December
- Height at maturity 55 cm
Dwarf dahlias with coloured foliage
There is a dahlia for every gardener and every desire. Among the collections of Dwarf Dahlias, discover an astonishing and contrasting series: the ‘Happy Single’. Their very bright flowering beautifully contrasts with deeply cut purple foliage. With their vivid colours, they generously adorn both flowerbed edges and pots around a sunny terrace.
Our favourites
Dahlia Happy Single Flame
- Flowering time August to November
- Height at maturity 70 cm
Dahlia Happy Single Juliet
- Flowering time August to November
- Height at maturity 60 cm
Dahlia Happy Single Romeo
- Flowering time August to November
- Height at maturity 50 cm
Tips for a long flowering
To extend flowering, take care to regularly remove faded flowers. And to encourage further blooms, cut without guilt to create opulent bouquets!
Removing flowers after flowering, that’s the secret to enjoying Dahlias all summer long
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