Dahlia ‘Break Out’

Dahlia ‘Break Out’ is a distinctive and elegant dahlia variety, offering a delightful combination of soft color hues, luxurious form, and robust growth. Its adaptability and stunning appearance make it a sought-after choice for gardeners and floral designers. Whether used to enhance the beauty of a garden, as a standout in floral arrangements, or as part of a competitive display, ‘Break Out’ continues to impress with its gentle beauty and horticultural excellence. This dahlia is featured in our top 40 must-see dahlia flowers.

Dahlia ‘Break Out’: An In-depth Look

Dahlia ‘Break Out’ is a remarkable decorative dahlia, celebrated for its unique and delicate color palette. It features magnificent creamy blossoms tinged with blush pink and buttercream overtones, creating an ethereal and gentle appearance. ‘Break Out’ is also classified as a dinnerplate dahlia due to its impressively large flowers.

Native: Dahlias are native to Mexico and Central America. This cultivar results from extensive breeding and does not occur naturally in the wild.

Plant Type and Habit: This dahlia is a tuberous-rooted perennial with a bushy, upright growth habit. This variety is appreciated for its strong stems and consistent blooming, making it a reliable addition to any garden.

Size: It generally reaches about 48-60 inches in height (120-150 cm) and spreads around 18-24 inches (30-60 cm), depending on growing conditions.

Flowers: The blooms of ‘Break Out’ are truly captivating, displaying a blend of cream, blush pink and buttercream. They are large, generally measuring around 8-10 inches (20-25 cm) in diameter. The petals are soft and slightly curled at the edges, contributing to a full and lush appearance. The subtle color transition in each petal adds depth and a sense of delicate beauty. The fully double flowers have quickly become every bride’s favorite flower.

Bloom Time: Blooming from mid-summer until the first frost it provides long-lasting color in the garden.

Foliage: The foliage is typical of dahlias, with dark green leaves that provide a lush backdrop for the bright flowers.

Uses: ‘Break Out’ is highly versatile, making it a superb choice for cutting gardens and stunning in floral arrangements. Its unique color palette and robust growth make it an excellent focal point in garden borders and mixed beds. Additionally, the striking contrast between its delicate blooms and the green foliage makes it suitable for container gardening.

Hardiness: Dahlias are hardy in USDA zones 8-11. In colder zones, tubers need to be lifted and stored over winter.

Toxicity: Dahlias are toxic to dogs, cats, and horses. Their ingestion can lead to gastrointestinal upset and other health issues in pets and livestock.

Wildlife: While visually stunning, the complex petal structure of this dahlia makes it more difficult for pollinators to access the nectar and pollen. It is less effective in attracting pollinators than single-flowered or open-centered dahlia types.

Deer and Rabbit: Dahlias are somewhat resistant to deer and rabbits but may still be vulnerable to browsing.

Invasiveness: Not invasive; dahlias grow from tubers and do not spread aggressively.

Dahlia Growing Tips

Light: Dahlias love the sun, so choose a location with at least six to eight hours of direct sunlight daily.

Soil: Dahlias prefer well-drained, loamy soil. They don’t tolerate water-logged conditions, so if your soil is heavy clay, consider amending it with compost or peat moss to improve drainage.

Planting Time: Dahlias are usually planted in the spring after the risk of frost has passed and the soil has warmed up.

Planting Depth: Dahlia tubers should be planted about 4 to 6 inches (10-15 cm) deep, with the “eye” (the small bump from where the stem will grow) facing upward.

Watering: Dahlias like consistent moisture. Water them deeply a couple of times a week, more often if your area is experiencing a drought. Avoid overhead watering to reduce the risk of fungal diseases.

Fertilizing: Dahlias respond well to low-nitrogen fertilizers, such as a 5-10-10 or 10-20-20. Too much nitrogen can lead to lush, leafy growth and fewer flowers.

Deadheading: Regularly removing the spent flowers (deadheading) will keep your dahlias producing more blooms.

Overwintering: In colder climates (zones 7 and below), you’ll need to dig up and store the tubers indoors over the winter.

Pests and Diseases: Dahlias are generally relatively disease and pest-resistant, but there are a few common issues to watch out such as aphids, botrytis blight, earwigs, powdery mildew, slugs and snails, spider mites, and thrips.