Dahlia Lilac Time

Dahlia 'Lilac Time' bears huge double flowers, whose lilac shade comes closest to blue. They are composed of discreetly recurved ligules that are slightly inclined towards the stem. Its intermediate size is ideal for borders. It also produces beautiful flowers for bouquets, even late in 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.

Dahlias are classified according to the shape of their flower. 'Lilac Time', a sport of the famous violet-plum variety D. 'Thomas A. Edison', is classified in the category of decorative dahlias, with giant flowers. In this group, the coloured ligules of the capitulum are regularly arranged in a spiral. They can be bent towards the stem or fringed, for example. In this variety, the capitula can reach up to 20cm (8in) in diameter. The outermost ligules are slightly folded towards the centre, in a beautiful pink-mauve blue colour. Flowering takes place from July to October. The plant reaches about 1m (3ft) in height, and 70cm (28in) in width, with a bushy and erect habit. The branched stems are hollow. The leaves are opposite and pinnately compound, meaning they are divided into 3 or 5 leaflets with denticulate lobes. The leaves and stems are a medium green colour.

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

The medium size of this variety makes it suitable for the centre of borders or in tall perennial beds, where it will pair well with pink, deep purple, and mauve. Echinaceas, autumn asters, and perennial salvias are perfect companions for dahlias, as their flowers occur simultaneously. Also consider grasses, which have a very nice effect in autumn.

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.