Dahlia Chat Noir

The Dahlia Cactus 'Chat Noir forms a floriferous bush, loaded with bristling flowers that catch the eye with their bright colour, rich in dark red nuances blending into an almost black centre. Large-sized flowers with tapered petals bloom abundantly on a medium-sized plant from summer until frost. This Dahlia brings life to flower beds and allows for the creation of sumptuous bouquets well into the late season. Highly remarkable, it was awarded "Bulb of the Year in 2010". It is one of our favourites!

Dahlias belong to the Asteraceae family and are initially from the high plateaus of Mexico. At present, the approximately 25,000 horticultural varieties obtained by humans have invaded, to our great pleasure, gardens all over the world. They are hardy perennials with fleshy tubers. The Chat Noir was officially registered in 1985. The plant forms a clump about 1m (3ft) tall and 60 to 70cm (24 to 28in) wide. It is classified as a cactus dahlia, or more precisely, a semi-cactus; it is a horticultural category defined by the shape of the flower. In this group, the colourful ligules of the head partially curl up for at least 1/3 of their length. Flowering for this variety begins in July and ends in October-November. The heads measure 13 to 14cm (5 to 6in) in diameter, their color is a dark red with garnet reflections and a very dark brown-red center. The habit is bushy and upright, and the branched stems are hollow. Its leaves are opposite, pinnately divided, meaning they are divided into 3 or 5 toothed lobes. The leaves are medium green, and the stems dark green, more or less marked with purple.

To extend the flowering period and promote flower reblooming, remove faded flowers. Even better, regularly cut them to create seductive, colourful bouquets by combining several varieties.

The Dahlia 'Chat Noir' puts on a show in the garden, and its personality deserves to be highlighted with grey foliage (Dusty Miller, Tree wormwood). It can also be planted with foliage plants, such as fennel, Kochias (Bassia scoparia), or grasses like stipas or crested wheatgrass. It also pairs well with light flowers in a harmony of colours; scarlet salvias, cosmos, and love-in-a-mist make good companions without overshadowing its flowering. A flowerbed will perfectly match Echinaceas and Helenies. With Sedums and miscanthus, it will also create a nice original mix.

As the star of borders and ornamental gardens, Dahlias confidently accompany the most beautiful flowers but are equally appreciated alongside vegetable plants. In Mexico, this tuber was initially cultivated as a vegetable for consumption. But its poor taste qualities relegated it to the rank of an ornamental plant. Since then, the interest in their beautiful exuberance has never waned.