Dahlia Cornel

The Ball Dahlia 'Cornel' produces inflorescences similar to large, perfectly spherical pompoms, with an intense dark red colour, almost burgundy red. Its long, sturdy stems and excellent vase life make it one of the best varieties for cut flowers. In the garden, it is used in the background and is also a valuable element for structuring tall borders.

Dahlias belong to the Asteraceae family and are originally from the high plateaus of Mexico. Currently, the approximately 25,000 horticultural varieties obtained by humans have invaded, to our great pleasure, gardens around the world.

The 'Cornel' variety, introduced in 1982, reaches a height of 1m (3ft) to 1.20m (4ft) with a diameter of 60cm (24in), depending on the growing conditions. It is classified as a 'ball' Dahlia, which is a horticultural category defined by the shape of the flower. In this group, the heads are larger than those of 'pompom' Dahlias, but they are produced abundantly, and the tubular ligules form an inflorescence that is more or less spherical or flattened, which has a regularly alveolate structure, like a beehive. The flowers of 'Cornel' are about 10-12cm (4-5in) in diameter. The flowering season is from July to October. The habit is bushy and upright. The very branching and sturdy stems are hollow, and the leaves are opposite, pinnately divided into 3 or 5 highly toothed lobes. The leaves and stems are a fairly dark green.

To promote flowering, be sure to remove faded flowers, or better yet, regularly make large colourful bouquets by combining it with other varieties. 'Cornel' pairs particularly well with the white and pale pink flowers of English roses, or the mauve flowers of paniculate phlox. In borders, this Dahlia will create highly colourful spots alongside Echinaceas, for example, which flower at the same time, as well as Hemerocallis or Asters. This variety with its long, highly floriferous stems allows for beautiful bouquets well into the late season.

The star plant of borders and cottage gardens, Dahlias confidently accompany the most beautiful flowers but are also appreciated alongside vegetable plants. In Mexico, this tuberous plant was initially cultivated as a root vegetable for consumption. However, its poor taste led it to be classified as an ornamental plant. Since then, the interest in their beautiful exuberance has never waned.