Decorative Dahlia
Crichton Honey is a ball-type dahlia that delivers one of the most beguiling color experiences in the garden: blooms that seem to shift between peach, pink, gold, and orange depending on the light and angle you view them from. Rising to 36 inches tall with perfectly symmetrical 3-inch flowers, this cultivar thrives in zones 8 and reaches peak bloom around 80 to 100 days after planting. The magic lies in the contrast between its rigid, geometric form and its impossibly soft, warm color palette, a combination that commands attention in any flower bed.
Full Sun
Moderate
8-8
?in H x ?in W
Perennial
High
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The flowers themselves are a study in contradiction: tightly structured ball-type blooms that somehow glow with liquid, honeyed warmth. The colors refuse simple description, melting across a spectrum of warm tones that make each bloom feel like it's lit from within. Crichton Honey flowers at a reliable clip from mid-summer through fall, providing weeks of cut flowers that work beautifully in arrangements.
Crichton Honey dahlias are grown for their exceptional cut flowers. The 3-inch blooms and sturdy 36-inch stems hold up beautifully in arrangements, lasting well in the vase. They're also prized for garden display, where their warm coloring and neat, ball-shaped form create strong visual presence in borders and mixed plantings.
Plant dahlia tubers directly into the ground after all danger of frost has passed and soil has warmed. Space tubers 18 inches apart with rows 24 inches apart, positioning each tuber so the growing point faces upward. Firm soil around the tuber and water in gently to settle the soil.
Cut flowers when the bloom is fully open and the petals feel papery but not brittle. Early morning harvests, after dew has dried, yield the longest-lasting cut flowers. Cut stems at a 45-degree angle and immediately place in cool water. For tuber harvest in fall, wait until the first frost blackens the foliage, then carefully dig tubers, shake off soil, and store in a cool, dry place over winter.
Pinch or remove the growing tip when plants reach 12 inches tall to encourage branching and bushier growth; this will increase flower production. Deadhead spent blooms regularly to extend flowering throughout the season. Remove any damaged or diseased foliage as it appears.
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