Dahlia Orange Emperor

Dahlia 'Orange Emperor' will enhance your flower beds with its abundance of bright orange flowers. They will delight pollinating insects throughout summer, as well as lovers of country-style bouquets. The single flowers measure 12cm (5in) in diameter, with an imposing yellow heart. Add one to your vegetable garden to bring a touch of cheer.

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.

Dahlias are classified based on the shape of their flowers. The 'Orange Emperor' variety is a single flowered dahlia, resembling anemones or cosmos flowers. 

This variety's flowering period extends from July until the first frost. The flower heads measure 12cm (5in) in diameter. The yellow heart is surrounded by a row of ligules or "petals" in a magnificent bright orange. Its habit is bushy and erect, and the hollow stems are somewhat fragile in windy conditions. Its deciduous green leaves are divided into 3 or 5 toothed lobes.

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

Create a flower bed full of orange dahlias, mixing different flower shapes. Here are a few varieties that go well with Dahlia 'Orange Emperor': 'Sylvia Ball' with mandarin orange flowers, the dwarf cactus dahlia 'Sumatra' with magnificent bright orange flowers, and the decorative dahlia 'Bocherell' with apricot-coloured flowers.

Single-flowered dahlias go well with gauras and cleomes for a lighter look. Also consider echinaceas and Helianthus 'Lemon Queen' with their simple, pale-yellow flowers.