Dahlia imperialis
"Bell tree dahlia"
Orders placed before 1 March 2025
You can expect your order in February/March 2025
Orders placed 1 March - 15 April 2025
You can expect your order in March/April 2025
Orders placed 16 April - 15 May 2025
You can expect your order within 10 business days
UK orders over £50
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UK orders under £50
£4.99
Northern Ireland orders under £50
£5.99
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Description
The impressive Dahlia imperialis reaches heights often in excess of 250cm—in a single season! In their native environment (Mexico, Central America and Colombia), they can even grow to 8-10 metres tall. For this reason, it goes by several common names, including bell tree dahlia, giant dahlia or just tree dahlia. Its long, thick, bamboo-like stems are clothed in large, elder-like, fresh green leaves, making it a fine and splendid foliage plant. To ensure flowering, it needs to be grown in a frost-free situation. A warm autumn is when you are most likely to get the best flowering. When they come, the single blooms are of a gorgeous soft pink-purple, with orange centres.
Grow Dahlia imperialis in a moist but well-drained soil, in a sheltered spot in full sun. It is an ideal dahlia for a tropical border in the garden, or you can grow it in a large greenhouse or conservatory, where its chances of flowering are greatly increased. Its stems are so sturdy, there is usually no need to stake. As with all dahlias, lift the tubers of the bell tree dahlias and store them frost-free over winter.
Dahlias exhibit a diverse size spectrum, with varieties spanning from compact forms for flower beds to the towering Dahlia imperialis, native to areas stretching from Guatemala to Colombia, where it can reach heights exceeding 8 meters.
Key features
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Comes back every year
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Packed in paper bags
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Low maintenance
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May need winter cover
Specs & details
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Botanical name
Dahlia imperialis
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Flower colour
Pink, purple
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Tuber size
1
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Established height
2.5-3m
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Established spread
1-1.2m
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Plant spacing
1 tuber per m2
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Leaf colour
Green
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Habit
Upright
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Life cycle
Perennial
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Hardiness
Half hardy
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Years to establish
1st year
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Sunlight
Full sun
Partial shade -
Position
Sheltered
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Suitable for
Borders
Cottage gardens
Low maintenance gardens -
Soil acidity
Any
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Soil moisture
Free draining
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Soil type
Loam
Sandy
Multipurpose compost
Loam-based compost -
Growing skill
Easy to grow
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Scented
No
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Pollinator-friendly
No
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Mouse resistant
No
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Rabbit resistant
No
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Deer resistant
No
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Toxicity
No report
Plant calendar
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | June | July | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
- Planting
- Flowering
Useful information
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Dahlia imperialis is half hardy, which means that it should be kept frost free over winter and during spring.
For best results, start your dahlia tubers in temporary pots in a
greenhouse in March or April to grow on to transplant outside later in the season—this will give them a head start.Alternatively, you can plant the Dahlia imperialis tubers directly outside in May.
Plant with the stump of last year's stem facing upwards. The tuber should be fully submerged but with the stump just below the soil surface.
Plant one tuber per 8-10" pot if growing on during spring. When
planting outside, space the tubers around 30-50cm apart from each other. Compact varieties don’t need so much space.Water-in thoroughly after planting and continue to water regularly once in full growth, but only when the soil appears to be nearly dry.
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Orders placed before 1 March 2025
You can expect your order in Feb/March 2025Orders placed 1 March - 15 April 2025
You can expect your order in April 2025Orders placed 16 April - 15 May 2025
You can expect your order within 10 business days
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