Dahlia Rancho

Dahlia 'Rancho' is a beautiful French variety that is not widely distributed in the market. Its flowers boast warm shades that will bring an exotic and refined touch to flower beds and homemade bouquets. Its flowers are medium-sized, double, and rounded, painted with a mixture of orange, yellow, and pink, with a gold and orange centre. The plant forms a bushy clump with lush green foliage. It blooms late into the season. It was introduced in France in the 1980s.

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. 'Rancho' is classified as a waterlily dahlia. In this variety, the heads (what we call the flowers) are approximately 12cm (5in) in diameter, and the ligules (what we call the petals) are wide, flat, and slightly folded towards the centre. The colour of the flower, a mixture of soft orange and yellow, fades slightly over time, taking on a more salmon hue. The ligules in the centre retain a brighter orange and yellow hue. The flowering period is from July to October. The plant develops sturdy stems, reaching an average height of 1.2m (4ft) and 50 to 60cm (20 to 24in) in width. It has a bushy and erect habit, making a spectacular display in flower beds. The highly branched stems are hollow, and the opposite leaves are divided into 3 or 5 toothed leaflets. The stems are sometimes tinged with purple.

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

'Rancho' is perfect at the back of perennial flower beds, where it will pair well with red, yellow, brown, and purple shades. Its orange blooms complement the autumn colours of deciduous spindles and cotinus. For a bold display, combine it with blue or mauve flowers like those of perennial geraniums or campanulas. Sunflowers, cosmos, asters, and echinaceas are perfect companions. Also consider planting it with ornamental grasses, which have a beautiful 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.