Dahlia ‘Café Au Lait’

Dahlia ‘Café au Lait’ is a true gem in the world of flowers, offering a blend of elegance, size, and color rarely matched. Its versatility and ease of growing make it a valuable addition to any garden or floral design. Whether for its aesthetic appeal or its award-winning potential, ‘Café au Lait’ stands out as a top choice for both novice and experienced gardeners alike.

Dahlia ‘Café au Lait’: An In-depth Look

Dahlia ‘Café au Lait’ is a highly sought-after variety known for its exquisite beauty and unique coloration. It falls under the decorative dahlia category, characterized by broad, flat petals that sometimes curve for a full-bodied bloom. The petals are typically arranged in a regular pattern without a central disc visible. Dahlia ‘Café au Lait’ 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 known for its robustness and vigorous growth, producing strong, upright stems ideal for cutting.

Size: It generally reaches about 36-48 inches in height (90-120 cm) and spreads around 18-24 inches (30-60 cm), depending on growing conditions.

Flowers: ‘Café au Lait’ flowers are its most stunning feature. They are large, often reaching 8-10 inches (20-25 cm) in diameter. The petals blend shades of cream, peach, and soft pink, creating a warm, inviting appearance that resembles the color of milky coffee, hence the name ‘Café au Lait’. The blooms have a lush, full appearance and a silky texture, with the outer petals often curling gracefully around the edges.

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: ‘Café au Lait’ is highly versatile and can be used in various settings. Its stunning blooms make it a favorite for wedding bouquets and floral arrangements. In the garden, it serves as an excellent focal point in borders or as a part of a mixed bed. The plant’s height and striking flowers make it an ideal choice for background plantings or as a stand-alone specimen in large containers.

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.