Dahlia Pink Petticoat

Dahlia 'Pink Petticoat' is a remarkable new variety that bears medium-sized globular flowers with swirling petals, facing towards the stem, forming a beautiful underskirt. Starting with a white base, the petals gradually turn pink towards their tips, creating a stunning gradient. The flowering period lasts for over three months. The plant boasts strong stems and lush foliage. It is magnificent in the garden, and excellent in bouquets!

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. 

Dahlias are classified based on the shape of their flowers. 'Pink Petticoat' was introduced to the market in 2005. It falls into the category of informal medium-sized decorative dahlias. In this group, the colourful ligules of the head are regularly arranged in a spiral. They can be bent towards the stem or even fringed, for example. In this variety, the heads reach 17cm (7in) in diameter and their petals or ligules are wide, ovate, slightly twisted, and taper to a point. It flowers from July-August to October. The plant will reach about 1m (3ft) in height, and 60cm (24in) in width, with a bushy and upright habit. The highly branched stems are hollow but sturdy. The leaves are opposite and pinnately compound, meaning they divide into 3 or 5 toothed leaflets. The leaves are a fairly dark green, and the stems are somewhat tinged with brown.

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

'Pink Petticoat' is perfect for ornamental use in perennial beds. Echinaceas, shrubby salvias, and asters are perfect companions for dahlias, as they bloom simultaneously. Also consider pairing it with grasses (Miscanthus saccharifolius, Stipa arundinacea, Eragrostis trichodes), which take on beautiful colours 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.