Dahlia 'HS Date'PBR (Happy Single Series)
dahlia [Happy Single Date]
Grows to 60-70cm high, with dark red-green leaves, dark red stems, and single flowers, 5-10cm across, from summer to autumn; the outer circle of ray florets are pale orange with darker orange-red at their bases, forming an orange-red ring around the dark brown and golden centres
Size
Ultimate height
0.5–1 metresTime to ultimate height
2–5 yearsUltimate spread
0.1–0.5 metresGrowing conditions
Moisture
Moist but well–drainedpH
Acid, Alkaline, NeutralColour & scent
| Stem | Flower | Foliage | Fruit | |
| Spring | Green Red | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | Red | Brown Gold Orange Red | Green Red | |
| Autumn | Red | Brown Gold Orange Red | Green Red | |
| Winter |
Position
- Full sun
Aspect
South–facing or East–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Sheltered Hardiness
H3Botanical details
- Family
- Asteraceae
- Native to the UK
- No
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Habit
- Clump forming
- Genus
Dahlia are tuberous rooted perennials with pinnately divided leaves and showy flowerheads, double in many cultivars, in summer and autumn
- Name status
Trade
- Horticultural Group
- Single-flowered dahlias have flowerheads usually less than 10cm across, with one or two rows of spreading ray florets, surrounding a central boss of small tubular disc florets which are valuable for bees and butterflies
How to grow
Cultivation
Plant tubers 10-15cm deep in fertile, humus-rich, well-drained soil, in full sun; cut back to near ground level in mid-autumn, then in mild areas and on well-drained soils leave the tubers in the ground and protect with a deep organic mulch, while in colder areas or on heavy soils lift and store the tubers and replant in late spring after all danger of frost has passed; for more advice, see dahlia cultivation
Propagation
Propagate by basal softwood cuttings taken in spring from shoots from stored tubers, or divide the tubers, ensuring that each division has a viable bud
Suggested planting locations and garden types
- City and courtyard gardens
- Cottage and informal garden
- Patio and container plants
- Wildlife gardens
- Flower borders and beds
- Cut flowers
- Bedding
Pruning
Deadhead to prolong flowering
Pests
May be susceptible to aphids, capsid bug, earwigs, caterpillars, slugs, glasshouse red spider mite, and onion thrips
Diseases
May be susceptible to powdery mildews, dahlia mosaic virus, cucumber mosaic virus, tomato spotted wilt virus, storage rots, leafy gall, crown gall, dahlia smut, grey moulds, fungal leaf spot, Phytophthora, Sclerotinia, Verticillium wilts, and virus diseases
Get involved
The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.