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Dahlia ‘Sunshine’

Sunshine' Dahlia, Single Dahlias

AGM Award
Dahlia Sunshine, Single Dahlias, Dahlia with Dark Foliage, Dahlia Sunshine, Dark-leaved Dahlias, Dahlia for container, Dahlia for borders, Yellow Dahlia Flowers, Dahlia Tubers, Dahlia Bulbs, Dahlia Flower, Dahlia Flowers, summer bulbs

Award-winning Dahlia ‘Sunshine’ is a particularly striking Dahlia with its golden yellow flowers with orange centers atop a mahogany fern-like foliage. No wonder it won multiple awards. Just look at it! The single flowers, up to 6-8 in. wide (15-20 cm) blend in nicely with other plants and add welcomed color and form to the late summer and fall borders. They are not top-heavy because they contain little water. They stand up nice and straight even when it rains. Effect in the garden guaranteed!

  • Blooming massively from July until Frost, this dahlia grows up to 18-24 inches (45-60 cm) and is an excellent choice to create a lovely garden display or for showing.
  • A great pick for borders, containers or as cut flowers thanks to its superb vase life. Did you know that the more you cut Dahlia flowers, the more flowers you get? This makes Dahlias twice as nice: pretty in a vase, pretty in the garden. A great big flower in a vase or floating in a shallow bowl makes the perfect eye-catcher.
  • Best flowering occurs in full sun, but light shade will be welcomed in hot summer areas.
  • Winner of multiple awards (over 10 according to the American Dahlia Society!) including the prestigious Award of Garden Merit of the Royal Horticultural Society.
  • Provide consistent moisture during the growing season and do not allow soils dry out. Plant in a sheltered location to protect your dahlias from strong winds.
  • Best in groups of 5 for best visual effect. Deadhead spent flowers to promote growth of additional flower buds.
  • Toxic to dogs, toxic to cats, toxic to horses.
  • If you live in a cool area (hardiness zones 3-7) and you want to save your dahlia bulbs, or more precisely, your dahlia tubers for next spring, you may dig them up before the first frost and store them over winter before replanting them next spring. Store them in boxes, covered with moistened sand in a cool, dark, frost-free place where temperature remains between 45-50 °F (7-10°C).
  • This Dahlia is a member of the Single-flowered Dahlias which feature blooms with a single row of flat or slightly cupped ray florets arranged in a flat plane, uniformly overlapping, preferably in the same direction with no gaps. Disc flowers may have up to three rows of pollen and the bloom is over two inches in diameter.

Dahlias come originally from Central and South America, particularly Mexico where they are the national flower. In their homeland, their natural habitats are cool moist mountain slopes. Their flowers were prized for their beauty early on, and the Aztecs used the tubers as a food crop as well as for medicinal purposes. Botanists who boarded the ships of the Spanish conquistadores discovered the imposing flower in the 17th century. Europeans first tested them as a food crop but soon admired them for their beautiful flowers. The plant was named in honor of A. Dahl, a Swedish botanist. This scientific name became so established that a common name for dahlias never took hold. During the nineteenth century, the dahlia began stealing the hearts of people all over the world; today there are 20,000 different varieties. And every one is a descendent of one of the original species such as Dahlia rosea.

Requirements

Hardiness 8 - 11
Heat Zones 1 - 12
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
Plant Family Compositae
Genus Dahlia
Common names Dahlia
Exposure Full Sun
Season of Interest Summer (Mid, Late), Fall
Height 1' - 2' (30cm - 60cm)
Spread 1' - 2' (30cm - 60cm)
Spacing 12" - 18" (30cm - 50cm)
Maintenance Average
Water Needs Average
Soil Type Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil pH Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil Drainage Moist but Well-Drained
Characteristics Cut Flowers, Plant of Merit, Showy
Attracts Butterflies
Garden Uses Beds And Borders, Patio And Containers
Garden Styles Cutting Garden, City and Courtyard, Informal and Cottage
How Many Plants
Do I Need?
Explore Great Plant Combination Ideas
Dahlia
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Alternative Plants to Consider

Dahlia ‘Nadia Ruth’
Dahlia ‘Omega’
Dahlia ‘Feline Yvonne’
Dahlia ‘Dazzling Magic’
Dahlia ‘Bishop of Dover’
Dahlia ‘Avignon’

Recommended Companion Plants

Hordeum jubatum (Foxtail Barley)
Helenium ‘Waltraut’ (Sneezeweed)
Pennisetum villosum (Feathertop Grass)
Helenium ‘Moerheim Beauty’ (Sneezeweed)
Helenium ‘Sahin’s Early Flowerer’ (Sneezeweed)
Nepeta racemosa ‘Walker’s Low’ (Catmint)
Echinacea (Coneflower)
Hemerocallis (Daylilies)

Find In One of Our Guides or Gardens

Top 70 Summer Flowers to Brighten Your Garden and Home
50 Best Fall Flowers for Your Autumn Garden
Top 50 Most Beautiful Flowers Worldwide
Edible Flowers for Cakes: A Guide to Stunning Floral Decorations
Dahlia Tubers: A Step-by-Step Guide to Planting and Care
Are Dahlias Perennials?
57 Red Flowers for Every Garden Style
54 Orange Flowers To Brighten Up Your Garden with Bold Blooms
42 Green Flowers for Your Garden or Bouquets
54 Black Flowers and Plants: Add Drama to Your Garden
45 Yellow Flowers: Radiant Blooms for Every Season
Pure White Flowers for a Touch of Elegance in Your Garden
26 Terrific Summer Bulbs to Grow in your Garden or Pots
Bee-Friendly Dahlia Flowers
Dahlia – Pests and Diseases to Watch Out For
Top 40 Must-See Dahlia Flowers
For the Love of Bees: Best Flowers to Attract them to Your Garden
How to Cultivate a Thriving Bee-Friendly Garden
Popular Flower Bulbs For Your Garden and Pots
Dahlia
Edible Flowers: 30 Beautiful Blooms to Grow for Garden and Table
Most Beautiful Dinner Plate Dahlias
Waterlily Dahlias
Mignon and Single Dahlias
Cactus and Semi Cactus Dahlias
Peony-Flowered and Orchid Dahlias
Anemone and Collarette Dahlias
Pompon and Ball Dahlias
Decorative Dahlias
Beautiful Dahlias to Crave For
Great Ornamental Grasses to Grow with Your Favorite Dahlias
Great Perennial Plants to Grow with Your Favorite Dahlias
Dahlias with Dark Foliage
Dahlia: Plant Care and Growing Guide
Best Dahlias For Cutting
Best Dahlias For Containers and Low Borders
Plants with Pink Flowers to Add Romance to Your Garden
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.
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Requirements

Hardiness 8 - 11
Heat Zones 1 - 12
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
Plant Family Compositae
Genus Dahlia
Common names Dahlia
Exposure Full Sun
Season of Interest Summer (Mid, Late), Fall
Height 1' - 2' (30cm - 60cm)
Spread 1' - 2' (30cm - 60cm)
Spacing 12" - 18" (30cm - 50cm)
Maintenance Average
Water Needs Average
Soil Type Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil pH Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil Drainage Moist but Well-Drained
Characteristics Cut Flowers, Plant of Merit, Showy
Attracts Butterflies
Garden Uses Beds And Borders, Patio And Containers
Garden Styles Cutting Garden, City and Courtyard, Informal and Cottage
How Many Plants
Do I Need?
Explore Great Plant Combination Ideas
Dahlia
Guides with
Dahlia
Not sure which Dahlia to pick?
Compare Now

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    Becoming a contributing member of Gardenia is easy and can be done in just a few minutes. If you provide us with your name, email address and the payment of a modest $25 annual membership fee, you will become a full member, enabling you to design and save up to 25 of your garden design ideas.

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