Dahlia Extase

Dahlia 'Extase' bears large and beautiful flowers. They are fully double, filled with pointed petals perfectly organised in rosettes, in shades of pale-pink to salmon-pink with a slightly golden centre. They bloom from summer until the first frosts, and are ideal in flower beds, borders, and flowering pots.

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.

'Extase' was registered in 1981. It is a dwarf dahlia that will not exceed 45 to 50cm (18 to 20in) in height and 50cm (20in) in width. It is also classified as a decorative dahlia, which is a horticultural category defined by the shape of the flower. In this group, the coloured ligules of the head are arranged regularly in a spiral. They can be curved towards the stem or fringed, for example. 'Extase' flowers measure up to 15cm (6in) in diameter. The flowering period is from July to October. It has a bushy and compact habit that does not usually require staking. The highly branched stems are hollow, and the leaves are opposite and pinnately divided into 3 or 5 deeply toothed lobes. The leaves and stems are a bright green colour.

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

'Extase' pairs particularly well with the pink-purple flowers of Dahlia 'Cornel Ball', white and pink flowers (Dahlia 'Wizard of Oz', D. 'Orfeo') as well as the silver foliage of Cineraria maritima. It will look wonderful with echinaceas, daylilies, and asters, which bloom at the same time. This modest-sized variety is suitable for container gardening.

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.