Dahlia Parasol

The 'Parasol' Decorative Dahlia offers us a lovely, unpretentious yellow flower, with the delicacy of the petal edges adorned with reddish-brown, like a light brushstroke that has been washed out. This effect is more pronounced at the heart of the flower. Semi-double, well-opened, the rather small flowers are carried well above the foliage by sturdy, dark-coloured stems. The sight of this vibrant and luminous flowering is constantly renewed from July until the first frost.

Dahlias are tuberous plants from the large Asteraceae family, originally from the high plateaus of Mexico. Nowadays, the thousands of horticultural varieties obtained by humans have invaded, to our great pleasure, gardens all over the world. Dahlias are classified according to the shape of their flowers.'Parasol' 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 bent towards the stem or even fringed for example. In this variety, the heads measure 14cm (6in) in diameter and their ligules are rather large, quite narrow, almost flat, and loosely arranged. Flowering takes place from July to October-November. The plant reaches an average height of 1m (3ft), and 50 to 60cm (20 to 24in) in width, with a bushy and erect habit. The highly branched stems are hollow and the leaves are opposite, pinnately compound, meaning they are divided into 3 or 5 leaflets, which have very denticulate lobes. The leaves are a fairly dark green and the stems, particularly sturdy, are more or less tinged with purple.

To promote repeat flowering and extend the flowering period, be sure to remove faded flowers. Even better, regularly create attractive colourful bouquets by combining various varieties.  Decorative Dahlias go well with Crocosmias, sages, for example, which lighten their generous silhouette. The cheerful flowers of 'Parasol' also allow numerous combinations in floral compositions. The medium height of this variety makes it suitable for the centre of mixed borders, to structure a composition composed of shrubs with purple foliage in contrast, such as Cotinus and Loropetalum, and lower plants. The flowering of Echinaceas is perfect to accompany the Dahlias, as they bloom simultaneously. Also consider golden grasses such as Stipa, Panicum, or Miscanthus which take on beautiful autumnal colours.

A star plant in ornamental gardens, Dahlias are undoubtedly beautiful flowers, they are impeccable in flower beds, but can also enhance the vegetable garden. In Mexico, this tuberous plant was initially 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.