Dahlia ‘Twyning’s After Eight’

Dahlia ‘Twyning’s After Eight’ is a remarkable dahlia variety offering a striking blend of stark white blooms, dark foliage, and elegant growth. Its adaptability and striking appearance make it a highly desirable choice for gardeners and floral designers. Whether used to create a bold statement in a garden, as a standout in floral arrangements, or as a unique addition to a modern landscape, ‘Twyning’s After Eight’ impresses with its sophisticated beauty and garden performance.

Dahlia ‘Twyning’s After Eight’: An In-depth Look

Dahlia ‘Twyning’s After Eight’ is an elegant single dahlia, renowned for its striking contrast between blooms and foliage. It features simple yet sophisticated white flowers, each with a distinct yellow center. The simplicity of the single-layer petals offers a natural and airy look, typical of Single-flowered Dahlias.

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 valued for its elegant stature and is a favorite for creating a visually appealing garden display.

Size: It generally reaches about 40 inches in height (100 cm) and spreads around 18-24 inches (30-60 cm), depending on growing conditions.

Flowers: The flowers of ‘Twyning’s After Eight’ are striking in their simplicity. They are medium-sized, usually measuring about 3-4 inches (7-10 cm) in diameter. The blooms are pure white, creating a striking contrast with their yellow centers. This stark color combination against the dark foliage makes the flowers stand out remarkably.

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

Foliage: One of the defining features of ‘Twyning’s After Eight’ is its dark, almost black foliage. The deep color of the leaves provides a dramatic backdrop for the bright white flowers, enhancing their visual impact and adding a unique aesthetic to the plant.

Uses: ‘Twyning’s After Eight’ is highly versatile and ideal for a variety of garden settings. Its striking flowers and dark foliage make it a popular choice for contemporary garden designs and eye-catching in floral arrangements. In landscaping, it serves as a stunning accent in borders, beds, or container gardens. The plant’s distinctive look also makes it suitable for urban gardens or patios.

Award: Recipient of the prestigious Award of Garden Merit of the Royal Horticultural Society.

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: The flowers attract pollinators such as bees and butterflies.

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.