Dahlia Bristol Stripe

Dahlia 'Bristol Stripe' is a stunning and delightful variety, bearing an abundance of large, fully double flowers, widely striped with purple-pink and magenta on a white background. These slightly tousled inflorescences are composed of ligulate petals that fold towards the stem, in a somewhat disordered fashion. This medium-sized variety will create a sensation in borders as well as in bouquets, lasting late into the season.

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.

'Bristol Stripe', introduced in 1978, is classified as a giant dahlia because of its 1m (3ft) tall by 60cm (24in) wide growth. 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. Flowering begins in July and ends in October. The heads measure 15 to 20cm (6 to 8in) in diameter. The ligules are large, flexible, and slightly turbinate. The bi-coloured blooms are white-pink, randomly striped and splashed with deep red-purple. The habit is bushy and upright, and the highly branched stems are hollow. Its leaves are opposite and pinnately compound, meaning they are divided into 3 or 5 toothed lobes. The leaves are dark green and the stems are rather brownish to purplish towards their tips.

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

'Bristol Stripe' pairs particularly well with pink and red blooms, especially those of roses. In borders, it will blend perfectly with echinaceas, heleniums, and cosmos, for example. It will also make a unique combination with sedums, the perennial Geranium 'Blue Cloud', 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.