Dahlia Fatima

The Dahlia Fatima is a variety of small-sized flowers, in the shape of pompoms, perfectly round, organized in a multitude of cells of a very warm pink with purplish reflections, in which small white-cream spots and delightful plays of light are nestled. The plant blooms abundantly, from summer to frost, and shows a bushy and upright habit, supported by long stems, with impeccable performance in bouquets as well as in the background of borders.

Dahlias belong to the Asteraceae family and are originally from the high plateaus of Mexico. Currently, the approximately 25,000 horticultural varieties obtained by humans have invaded, to our great pleasure, gardens all over the world.
The 'Fatima' variety, introduced in 1961, will reach a height of about 1m (3ft) and a diameter of 60cm (24in) after 3 to 4 months of cultivation. It is classified among the pompom Dahlias; it is a horticultural category defined by the shape of the flower. In this group, the heads are very compact, of modest size, but produced in abundance, and the tubular ligules form a perfectly spherical inflorescence that has a honeycomb-like structure. The flowers of 'Fatima' are 5 to 6cm (2in) in diameter. The ligules are a deep pink, with small white-cream spots at the base or on the edges. The golden heart of the flower only appears late, just before wilting. The flowering period is from July to October. The habit is bushy and upright. The very branching, long and sturdy stems are hollow and the leaves are opposite, pinnately divided into 3 or 5 deeply toothed lobes. The leaves are a medium green and the stems have a slight purplish tinge. 

To promote re-flowering, make sure to remove faded flowers, or even better, regularly make large colourful bouquets by combining it with other varieties. 'Fatima' produces graphic flowers, of an almost magnetic pink, magnificent in bouquets, in the company of single or pompom flower varieties, white, pink or mauve. This variety pairs particularly well with the blue flowers of perennial delphiniums, aconites, and asters, and stands out beautifully against the green or purple foliage of fennel. In borders, this Dahlia will create warm and luminous spots in the company of Echinaceas or ornamental grasses (Panicum virgatum, compact Miscanthus), for example, which bloom at the same time as well as  Hemerocallis. This variety with its long, heavily-flowered stems allows for the decoration of bouquets until late in the season.

Dahlias, the star of borders and cottage gardens, confidently accompany the most beautiful flowers but are also appreciated alongside vegetable plants. In Mexico, this tuber was initially cultivated as a root vegetable for consumption. However, its poor taste qualities relegated it to the status of an ornamental plant. Since then, the interest in their beautiful exuberance has never waned.