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Great Perennial Plants to Grow with Your Favorite Dahlias

Best Dahlia Companions, Companion Planting

Best perennials for Dahlias, Dahlia companion plants, companion planting, Perennial Plants

Injecting color, drama, and late-summer fireworks in the garden, dahlias look fabulous on their own or combined with other plants. Many are graceful and integrate well into most borders, creating appealing planting combinations and providing interest from mid-summer until the first frost.

Many perennials grow well with them and complement them aesthetically. When selecting perennial plants to grow with your favorite dahlias, you should keep in mind the following:

  • Dahlias are heavy feeders and will not bear crowding or pilfering from surrounding plants. Select perennial plants that are well-behaved.
  • Choose strong, robust, clump-forming perennials that will fight for their own corner and thrive next to hungry dahlias.
  • Dahlias generally grow several feet tall, so their short companion plants should be able to grow in partial shade.
  • Favor perennial plants that protect your dahlias from unwanted pests such as slugs, snails, Japanese beetles, and aphids.
    Artemisia deters slugs. Surrounding your Dahlias with a border of Artemisia will keep the devastating slugs away.
    Salvia attracts hummingbirds and butterflies, which in turn eat aphids and beetles.

Guide Information

Hardiness 8 - 11
Heat Zones 1 - 11
Climate Zones 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Plant Type Bulbs, Perennials
Genus Dahlia
Exposure Full Sun
Season of Interest Summer (Early, Mid, Late)
Fall
Maintenance Average
Water Needs Average
Soil Type Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil pH Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil Drainage Moist but Well-Drained
Characteristics Cut Flowers, Showy
Landscaping Ideas Patio And Containers, Beds And Borders
Garden Styles City and Courtyard, Cutting Garden, Informal and Cottage

Best Perennials to grow with your Dahlias

Alchemilla mollis (Lady’s Mantle)
Allium sphaerocephalon (Drumstick Allium)
Artemisia lactiflora (White Mugwort)
Aster x frikartii ‘Monch’ (Frikart’s Aster)
Geranium ‘Ann Folkard’ (Cranesbill)
Geranium ‘Patricia’ (Cranesbill)
Lychnis coronaria (Rose Campion)
Persicaria amplexicaulis ‘Alba’ (Mountain Fleece)
Agapanthus (African Lily)
Alstroemeria (Peruvian Lily)
Anthemis tinctoria (Golden Marguerite)
Crocosmia (Montbretia)
Eryngium planum (Flat Sea Holly)
Helenium (Sneezeweed)
Hemerocallis (Daylilies)
Kniphofia (Red Hot Poker)
Monarda (Bee Balm)
Veronicastrum virginicum (Culver’s Root)
Echinacea (Coneflower)
Aster amellus (Italian Aster)
Aster novae-angliae (New England Aster)
Echinops (Globe Thistle)
Sedum (Stonecrop)
Salvia (Sage)
Agastache (Hyssop)
Rudbeckia hirta (Black-Eyed Susan)
Nepeta (Catmint)

Discover These Helpful Guides for Further Reading

Great Ornamental Grasses to Grow with Your Favorite Dahlias
Dahlias with Dark Foliage
Dahlia: Plant Care and Growing Guide
Most Beautiful Dinner Plate Dahlias
Waterlily Dahlias
Decorative Dahlias

Garden Examples

A Beautiful Fall Border Idea with Dahlias, Verbena and Grasses
A Hot Summer Border Idea with Dahlia, Crocosmia and Aster
A Hot Summer Border Idea with Dahlias, Helenium and Easy Perennials
A Late Summer Border Idea with Dahlias, Helenium and Persicaria
A Brilliant Summer Border Idea with Crocosmia, Dahlia and Canna Lilies
Vibrant Summer Border: Dahlia, Zinnia, Chinese Aster
Compare All Dahlia
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Explore Great Plant Combination Ideas
Dahlia
Guides with
Dahlia
While every effort has been made to describe these plants accurately, please keep in mind that height, bloom time, and color may differ in various climates. The description of these plants has been written based on numerous outside resources.

Guide Information

Hardiness 8 - 11
Heat Zones 1 - 11
Climate Zones 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Plant Type Bulbs, Perennials
Genus Dahlia
Exposure Full Sun
Season of Interest Summer (Early, Mid, Late)
Fall
Maintenance Average
Water Needs Average
Soil Type Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil pH Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil Drainage Moist but Well-Drained
Characteristics Cut Flowers, Showy
Landscaping Ideas Patio And Containers, Beds And Borders
Garden Styles City and Courtyard, Cutting Garden, Informal and Cottage
Compare All Dahlia
Compare Now
Explore Great Plant Combination Ideas
Dahlia
Guides with
Dahlia

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