Dahlia Luka Johanna

Dahlia Luka Johanna is a variety of Dahlia from the Decorative group that is still little known in the trade. It charms with its large, very double flowers of incredible freshness: ranging from true pink to pale lilac, its countless petals are delicately tinged with garnet and shaded with green at the centre. The vigorous and floriferous plant forms a large flowering bush from summer until frost. Its flowers, with enchanting colours, carried by long stems, are superb in borders, but also in bouquets, where they bring a breath of youth.

Dahlias are tuberous plants from the large family of Asteraceae, originally from the high plateaus of Mexico. At present, the some 25,000 horticultural varieties obtained by humans have arrived, to our greatest pleasure, in gardens all over the world. Dahlias are classified according to the shape of their flower. 'Luka Johanna', introduced in 2009, is classified in the category of Decorative Dahlias. In this group, the coloured ligules of the head are arranged regularly in a spiral, they can be curved towards the stem or curled, for example. In this variety with waterlily-like flowers, the inflorescences in wide heads of 10 to 15 cm (4 to 6in) are composed of numerous ligules, those on the periphery being widely oval and almost flat, those in the centre more curved. Their colour varies from washed pink to deep pink on the periphery, to pale lilac tinged with garnet towards the tightly packed centre of the flower, also tinged with green. Flowering takes place from July to September-October. The plant will reach about 90 cm (35in) in height and 60 cm (24in) in width, with a bushy and erect habit. The very branched stems are hollow and the leaves are opposite, pinnately divided into 3 or 5 leaflets, which have finely toothed lobes. The leaves and stems are dark green.

To promote flowering and extend the flowering period, be sure to remove faded flowers. Even better, regularly create attractive colourful bouquets by combining various varieties. The beautiful stature of this Luka Johanna variety makes it suitable for the back of perennial borders, of course, to structure an ensemble composed of flowering shrubs and lower perennials. The flowering of Echinaceas is perfect in accompaniment to that of Dahlias, as they occur simultaneously, as well as the flowering of perennial salvias or asters, for example. Also consider grasses (Miscanthus saccharifolius, Stipa arundinacea, Eragrostis trichodes) which take on beautiful colours in autumn.

A star plant in ornamental gardens, Dahlias are undoubtedly very pretty flowers, they are perfect in flower beds but can also enhance the vegetable garden. In Mexico, this tuberous plant was first cultivated as a root vegetable for consumption. Its poor taste qualities quickly assigned it the status of an ornamental plant. Since then, the interest in their beautiful exuberance has never waned.