A handful of Dahlia ‘Venus’.

Dahlia ‘Venus’

Features

  • Pollinator-friendly

Description

It took me years to find this highly coveted variety, and it was such a treat to finally get a chance to grow it. Plants are bushy and lush and get between 4 and 5 ft tall. Soft peachy-orange outer petals are pointed and roll slightly inward, giving flowers a star-like appearance. A ring of long, matching twizzles is tucked inside each petal, giving blooms a unique textural quality. One of the most interesting surprises was that a few yellow sports popped up in the row—they had the exact same plant habit and flower form, but were highlighter yellow. The one downfall of ‘Venus’ is that it doesn’t hold well in the vase, but it’s still one of the coolest dahlias I've ever grown.

Details

Form: orchette
Bloom size: unknown
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

It took me years to find this highly coveted variety, and it was such a treat to finally get a chance to grow it. Plants are bushy and lush and get between 4 and 5 ft tall. Soft peachy-orange outer petals are pointed and roll slightly inward, giving flowers a star-like appearance. A ring of long, matching twizzles is tucked inside each petal, giving blooms a unique textural quality. One of the most interesting surprises was that a few yellow sports popped up in the row—they had the exact same plant habit and flower form, but were highlighter yellow. The one downfall of ‘Venus’ is that it doesn’t hold well in the vase, but it’s still one of the coolest dahlias I've ever grown.

Details

Form: orchette
Bloom size: unknown
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.