Dahlia Pink Sylvia

Dahlia 'Pink Sylvia' is a variety of medium-sized flowers, in the shape of pompoms, perfectly round, with remarkable architecture. Its flowers are precisely and strangely organized in countless dark pink alveoli in which the light plays, each little chamber formed by the tubular petals animating with a lighter pink tone. The plant blooms abundantly, from summer to frost, and shows a bushy and erect habit, supported by long stems, with an impeccable appearance in bouquets as well as in the background of borders.

Dahlias belong to the Asteraceae family, they are originally from the high plateaus of Mexico. At present, the approximately 25,000 horticultural varieties obtained by humans have invaded, to our greatest pleasure, gardens all over the world.
The 'Pink Sylvia' variety will measure about 1m (3ft) in height and 60cm (24in) in diameter after 3 to 4 months of cultivation. It is classified as a Pompom Dahlia; 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 presents a honeycomb structure. The flowers of 'Pink Sylvia' are 7 to 10cm (3 to 4in) in diameter. The ligules are a deep pink. 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 erect. 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 and stems are of a medium green colour. 

To promote reblooming, take care to remove faded flowers, or even better, regularly make large colourful bouquets by combining it with other varieties. 'Pink Sylvia' produces beautiful flowers in bouquets, in the company of single or pompom flowered varieties, white, pink or mauve. This variety goes particularly well with the blue flowers of perennial delphiniums, Aconites and asters, and stands out beautifully against the green or purple foliage of fennels. In borders, this Dahlia will create warm and bright spots in the company of Echinaceas for example, which bloom at the same time as well as daylilies. This variety with its long, highly flowered stems allows you to enhance bouquets even late in the season.

As a star plant in borders and herb gardens, Dahlias confidently accompany the most beautiful flowers but are also appreciated alongside vegetable plants. In Mexico, this tuber was first cultivated as a root vegetable to be eaten. But its poor taste qualities assigned it the rank of an ornamental plant. Since then, the interest in their beautiful exuberance has never waned.