Dahlia Pinelands Pam

Dahlia 'Pinelands Pam' attracts all eyes with its large, frilly flowers, beautifully coloured from red to pink on a yellow background. They are produced in abundance from summer until the first frost, on a medium-sized bushy plant. This unusual variety will bring a pleasant touch of exoticism to sunny flower beds, and its long stems are perfect for cutting to create sublime bouquets.

Dahlias belong to the Asteraceae family and are originally from the high plateaus of Mexico. There are currently thousands of horticultural varieties that have conquered gardens worldwide. They are tender perennials with fleshy tubers.

'Pinelands Pam' was registered in 1999. The plant forms a clump that is 90cm (35in) to 1.1m (4ft) tall and 60 to 70cm (24 to 28in) wide. It is classified as a fimbriated semi-cactus dahlia, a horticultural category defined by the shape of the flower. In this group, the coloured ligules of the head partially curl up for at least 1/3 of their length. This dahlia also has ligules that are forked at their tips (fimbriated). Flowering begins in July and ends in October-November. The heads measure 15 to 16cm (6in) in diameter, and the yellow ligules are widely coloured in varying shades of red and pink. The habit is bushy and erect, and the branched stems are hollow. The leaves are opposite, pinnately divided into 3 or 5 toothed lobes. The leaves are bright green, and the stems are somewhat marked with purple.

Remove faded flowers to encourage new blooms. You can use cut flowers to make colourful bouquets, combining them with other varieties.

'Pinelands Pam' will steal the show! Its unique personality deserves a prominent spot in the garden, isolated from other variegated blooms. It works well with foliage plants such as fennel, kochias (Bassia scoparia), and ornamental grasses such as stipas or feather barley. It also pairs well with delicate flowers in a harmony of colours. Shrubby salvias, cosmos, and daisies make good companions without overshadowing the dahlia's flowering. It will perfectly match echinaceas and heleniums in a flower bed. It will make a wonderful display with sedums and miscanthus.

Dahlias are stars of borders and ornamental gardens, confidently accompanying the most beautiful flowers. However, they are also appreciated alongside vegetable plants. In Mexico, this tuberous plant was first cultivated as a root vegetable for consumption. Its poor taste qualities quickly saw it categorised as an ornamental plant. Since then, the interest in their beautiful exuberance has never waned.