Dahlia Poodle Skirt

Dahlia 'Poodle Skirt' is a fairly low-growing anemone-flowered dahlia that produces highly original flowers, with a burgundy pompom-shaped centre, set upon a 'skirt' of bright pink to mauve petals, strongly curved backwards. The bush flowers continuously all summer long and until the first frosts. Its stems show excellent keeping qualities in a vase, in the garden and in pots. It will take pride of place at the front of a border or on a terrace. Its cut flowers, with a style that is both retro and very modern, add dynamism to bohemian cut flower arrangements and to more sophisticated displays.

Belonging to the Asteraceae family, Dahlia 'Poodle Skirt' is a tuberous perennial plant which distant ancestors are Mexican and Central American species. It is an anemone-flowered dahlia (Group 2), characterised by one or more ranks of flat ligules (or "petals"), here wide and violet-pink, surrounding a domed centre of densely packed tubular florets, in a deep burgundy red. The flower heads, 7 to 9 cm in diameter, are produced continuously from July until October-November. They are borne on sturdy, upright, well-ramified stems, which are less susceptible to rain and wind. To encourage further flushes of flowers, be sure to deadhead spent blooms.
The aerial growth is deciduous: the medium green foliage, divided into ovate leaflets with finely dentate edges, disappears after the first frosts, while the tubers remain in dormancy. In regions with cold winters, these tubers are dug up to be overwintered dry and frost-free.
This variety, bred in the United States in the early 2010s by Swan Island Dahlias, is now among the new introductions that have quickly won over gardeners and florists alike.

Dahlia 'Poodle Skirt' truly has a jewel-like quality. Its flower resembles a large baroque brooch, with its burgundy centre like a gold-dusted cabochon set with bright pink petals… Totally bohemian, a bit rock and roll, not at all demure! It deserves carefully chosen companions. Try pairing it with the anemone-flowered dahlia 'Blue Bayou', in mauve shades, or with 'Totally Tangerine', which warms its burgundy reflections with apricot tones. In a vase, it pairs perfectly with the pastel pompoms of dahlia 'Wizard of Oz' and with the light corollas of cosmos 'Apricot Lemonade' to maintain a very 'cut flower garden' spirit. To further accentuate its baroque side, add a few plumes of Amaranthus caudatus 'Fat Spike' : the whole then takes on the appearance of a luxurious and somewhat cheeky piece of jewellery that you want to look at closely.

The genus Dahlia has a long history: originating in Mexico, where it was cultivated by pre-Columbian peoples for its edible and medicinal tubers, it became the national flower of the country in the 20th century and one of the stars of ornamental gardens.