Dahlia Hollyhill Cotton Candy

The Dahlia 'Hollyhill Cotton Candy' is a variety of cactus bush with large flowers with rolled and incurved ligules, hence facing upwards, resembling sea anemones, in a soft light pink colour. The center of the flowers is a soft yellow. They are abundantly produced from summer until the first frosts, on a beautiful, fairly tall bushy clump. This variety brings colour and dynamism to sunny beds and floral arrangements.

The Dahlias belong to the aster family, originally from the high plateaus of Mexico. Nowadays, the thousands of horticultural varieties created by humans have taken over, much to our delight, gardens worldwide. They are non-hardy perennials with fleshy tubers. The 'Hollyhill Cotton Candy' variety was introduced in 2010 by Ted and Margaret Kennedy of Hollyhill Dahlias in Oregon City, Oregon. It forms a clump 1.10 m to 1.20 m high and about 50 to 60 cm wide. It is classified among Cactus Dahlias. In this group, the flowers are large, with colourful ligules completely rolled upon themselves, giving them a bristly appearance. The flowering period of this variety starts in July and ends in October-November. The flower heads reach up to 20 cm in diameter. The habit is bushy and erect, with very branching hollow stems. Its leaves are opposite, pinnatisect, meaning they divide into 3 or 5 toothed lobes. The leaves are a vivid green.

By deadheading the faded flowers, you will benefit from an extended flowering period. Even better, create beautiful, dense bouquets with the generous dahlias by combining various varieties. Lighten the dahlias' silhouette by pairing them with airier flowers like gauras, salvias, or Echinaceas. Fine-leaved plants like grasses play the same role and add beautiful golden spikes. Place 'Hollyhill Cotton Candy' in the middle of a shrub and perennial border, alongside lower flowering plants in blue, pink, or salmon hues, such as some daylilies.

As a star plant for 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 grown as a root vegetable for consumption. However, its poor taste qualities relegated it to the status of an ornamental plant.