A handful of Dahlia ‘Nana’s Petals’.

Dahlia ‘Nana’s Petals’

Features

  • Pollinator-friendly

Description

I hunted for this elusive variety for 3 years before finally snagging it. I had really high hopes for this one—and it surpassed all of them! Plants have rich, dark green foliage and are surprisingly well behaved, topping out at about 4 ft by season’s end. The dense, bushy plants are smothered with the prettiest upward-facing, soft buttercream blooms with a thick peach stripe down the center of each petal. Each flower has a double layer of thick, peach-kissed twizzles encircling a bright orange-yellow center. Although the flowers look quite delicate, they last surprisingly well in the vase. A top favorite!

Details

Form: collarette
Bloom size: 4 in
Site: full sun
Days to maturity: 80 to 100 days
Plant spacing: 12 to 18 in
Pinch: when 12 in tall

Harvesting/Vase Life

Dahlias don’t unfurl much once they’ve been harvested so it’s important to not pick them too early. Harvest when blooms are three-quarters of the way open, but not overly ripe. Check the back of each flower head, looking for firm and lush petals versus papery or slightly dehydrated ones. Place into water with hydrator, or sear stem ends by placing into 160°F to 180°F (just off boiling) water and allow to cool for one hour. Expect a vase life of 5 days.

Details

Description

I hunted for this elusive variety for 3 years before finally snagging it. I had really high hopes for this one—and it surpassed all of them! Plants have rich, dark green foliage and are surprisingly well behaved, topping out at about 4 ft by season’s end. The dense, bushy plants are smothered with the prettiest upward-facing, soft buttercream blooms with a thick peach stripe down the center of each petal. Each flower has a double layer of thick, peach-kissed twizzles encircling a bright orange-yellow center. Although the flowers look quite delicate, they last surprisingly well in the vase. A top favorite!

Details

Form: collarette
Bloom size: 4 in
Site: full sun
Days to maturity: 80 to 100 days
Plant spacing: 12 to 18 in
Pinch: when 12 in tall

Harvesting/Vase Life

Dahlias don’t unfurl much once they’ve been harvested so it’s important to not pick them too early. Harvest when blooms are three-quarters of the way open, but not overly ripe. Check the back of each flower head, looking for firm and lush petals versus papery or slightly dehydrated ones. Place into water with hydrator, or sear stem ends by placing into 160°F to 180°F (just off boiling) water and allow to cool for one hour. Expect a vase life of 5 days.

Sources

How to Grow

Winter Mini Course: Seed-Starting 101

Learn how to start flowers from seed in this three-part video series

In this free video series, you’ll learn everything you need to know to successfully start flowers from seed, including all of the necessary supplies, step-by-step instructions, special tips and tricks, and how to create a simple indoor seed-starting area.