14 Gorgeous, Must-Grow Dahlia Varieties

If you’re looking for the most gorgeous dahlia varieties to plan in your garden, this list includes the best dahlias to plant in your garden.

Why Plant Dahlias in Your Garden

The rewards of planting dahlias are many and that’s probably why I adore them so much! This list includes my favorite gorgeous dahlia varieties.

Once established, dahlias are hugely prolific for several months. It’s always a yard-full of color around here and I have arrangements all over the house. They just keep producing flowers and take almost no effort. In fact, they are pretty easy flowers to maintain.

Here are my insider tips for growing dahlias:

Choose the Right Dahlia
Plant Dahlia Tubers 6″ Below the Soil Surface
Do Not Water Newly Planted Dahlia Tubers
Pinch Dahlias at About 12″ Tall
Harvest Dahlias Regularly for More Blooms

For a deeper dive on these tips for growing gorgeous dahlia varieties, check out my full grow guide in this post.

Let’s get into the gorgeous dahlia varieties I have to share with you today!

Favorite Gorgeous Dahlia Varieties

I have two lists of swoon-worthy dahlia varieties to share with you today: neutral colored dahlias and vibrant dahlias. First up are the best neutral dahlias!

Here’s the list for my favorite neutral-color dahlia varieties:

Cafe Au Lait
Linda’s Baby
Crichton Honey
Peaches N Cream
Sweet Nathalie
Platinum Blonde
Apple Blossom
Rock Run Ashley

Café Au Lait

This milky-pink blushing beauty displays huge 9“ feathery flower heads with flat-tipped petals. Dramatic is an understated description for the size of these blooms appropriately called “dinnerplate.” A favorite gorgeous dahlia variety for wedding arrangements and elegant centerpieces.

Type: Dinnerplate
Height: 5‘ high and will need to be staked
Bloom size: 9”
Days to maturity: 80-100
Planting: Plant in spring after threat of frost has passed. Dig a hole about 6” deep and plant with tuber’s eyes facing up. Cover with 6“ of compost. I also add worm castings and mycorrhizae at time of planting to promote healthy root systems.
Spacing: 18“ apart
Fertilizing: No need to fertilize until sprouts start to show. Then add a 5-10-10 or a 10-20-20 fertilizer. Follow application instructions on individual fertilizer label. Additionally, we spray a foliar application of fish emulsion weekly.

Linda’s Baby

A plump flower with an antique flair boasting tight petals in flamingo pink with inner tinges of pastel yellow. Linda’s Baby is an early and hearty bloomer with strong stems and makes a long-lasting cut flower.

Type: Ball
Height: 3.5‘ high
Bloom size: 4.5“
Days to maturity: 80-100
Planting: Plant in spring after threat of frost has passed. Dig a hole about 6” deep and plant with tuber’s eyes facing up. Cover with 6“ of compost. I also add worm castings and mycorrhizae at time of planting to promote healthy root systems.
Spacing: 12-18“ apart
Fertilizing: No need to fertilize until sprouts start to show. Then add a 5-10-10 or a 10-20-20 fertilizer. Follow application instructions on individual fertilizer label. Additionally, we spray a foliar application of fish emulsion weekly.

Crichton Honey

A shorter stemmed flower but a showstopper nevertheless with its warm apricot outer petals and deeper peach center accents. Another great long-lasting cut flower with sturdy stems.

Type: Ball
Height: 2-3‘ high
Bloom size: 5“
Days to maturity: 80-100
Spacing: 12-18“ apart
Planting: Plant in spring after threat of frost has passed. Dig a hole about 6” deep and plant with tuber’s eyes facing up. Cover with 6“ of compost. I also add worm castings and mycorrhizae at time of planting to promote healthy root systems.
Spacing: 12-18“ apart
Fertilizing: No need to fertilize until sprouts start to show. Then add a 5-10-10 or a 10-20-20 fertilizer. Follow application instructions on individual fertilizer label. Additionally, we spray a foliar application of fish emulsion weekly.

Peaches N’ Cream

What makes this one of the most cherished of all dahlias? No two blooms are alike with colors of cherry blossom married to blushing peach and petals that curve back revealing pale pink tips. A dependable bloomer and high in demand as a cut flower.

Type: Decorative
Height: 4.5-5‘ high
Bloom size: 4“
Days to maturity: 80-100
Planting: Plant in spring after threat of frost has passed. Dig a hole about 6” deep and plant with tuber’s eyes facing up. Cover with 6“ of compost. I also add worm castings and mycorrhizae at time of planting to promote healthy root systems.
Spacing: 12-18“ apart
Fertilizing: No need to fertilize until sprouts start to show. Then add a 5-10-10 or a 10-20-20 fertilizer. Follow application instructions on individual fertilizer label. Additionally, we spray a foliar application of fish emulsion weekly.

Sweet Nathalie

A special occasion favorite, this gorgeous dahlia is pastel pink cream blushed with a buttercream center and is a mid-summer bloomer. Dreamy. It pairs beautifully with Café Au Lait for elegant wedding arrangements.

Type: Decorative
Height: 3.5‘ high
Bloom size: 5“
Days to maturity: 80-100
Planting: Plant in spring after threat of frost has passed. Dig a hole about 6” deep and plant with tuber’s eyes facing up. Cover with 6“ of compost. I also add worm castings and mycorrhizae at time of planting to promote healthy root systems.
Spacing: 12-18“ apart
Fertilizing: No need to fertilize until sprouts start to show. Then add a 5-10-10 or a 10-20-20 fertilizer. Follow application instructions on individual fertilizer label. Additionally, we spray a foliar application of fish emulsion weekly.

Platinum Blonde

Single white petals hug dense clusters of delicate buttercup yellow cylindrical blooms resembling a pom- pom. Truly enchanting! A long bloomer from summer to fall.

Type: Anemone
Height: 4-5‘ high
Bloom size: 4“
Days to maturity: 80-100
Planting: Plant in spring after threat of frost has passed. Dig a hole about 6” deep and plant with tuber’s eyes facing up. Cover with 6“ of compost. I also add worm castings and mycorrhizae at time of planting to promote healthy root systems.
Spacing: 12-18“ apart
Fertilizing: No need to fertilize until sprouts start to show. Then add a 5-10-10 or a 10-20-20 fertilizer. Follow application instructions on individual fertilizer label. Additionally, we spray a foliar application of fish emulsion weekly.

Apple Blossom

These light and airy almost airbrushed petals turn from a buttercream yellow to a pastel pink with a sunflower yellow interior anemone. It’s a dazzler! Because these flowers have a shorter vase life, they are best as an event flower.

Type: Anemone
Height: 4-5‘ high
Bloom size: 4“
Days to maturity: 80-100
Planting: Plant in spring after threat of frost has passed. Dig a hole about 6” deep and plant with tuber’s eyes facing up. Cover with 6“ of compost. I also add worm castings and mycorrhizae at time of planting to promote healthy root systems.
Spacing: 12-18“ apart
Fertilizing: No need to fertilize until sprouts start to show. Then add a 5-10-10 or a 10-20-20 fertilizer. Follow application instructions on individual fertilizer label. Additionally, we spray a foliar application of fish emulsion weekly.

Rock Run Ashley

One of the most beautiful and versatile varieties we grow, ‘Rock Run Ashley’ produces a steady stream of small buff to blush blooms all season long. This extraordinary discovery has quickly taken a spot on our top 15 list. Its strong stems and delicate looking flowers make it a must have for any flower arranger or wedding florist. Plants are on the shorter side, but if pinched early they will produce long stems abundantly.

Type: Formal Decorative
Height: 3‘ high
Bloom size: 4“
Days to maturity: 80-100
Spacing: 12-18“ apart
Planting: Plant in spring after threat of frost has passed. Dig a hole about 6” deep and plant with tuber’s eyes facing up. Cover with 6“ of compost. I also add worm castings and mycorrhizae at time of planting to promote healthy root systems.
Spacing: 12-18“ apart
Fertilizing: No need to fertilize until sprouts start to show. Then add a 5-10-10 or a 10-20-20 fertilizer. Follow application instructions on individual fertilizer label. Additionally, we spray a foliar application of fish emulsion weekly.

My favorite vibrant-color dahlias are:

Labyrinth
Salmon Runner
Golden Scepter
Jowey Winnie
Totally Tangerine
Cornell Bronze
Happy Butterfly

Labyrinth

I love how these flowers display long pink fairy wings that boast streaks of pale rose and light apricot petals with deeper pink hue interiors. Pure bliss. Prolific blooms produce amazing cut flowers.

Type: Dinnerplate
Height: 5-6‘ high
Bloom size: 7“
Days to maturity: 80-100
Planting: Plant in spring after threat of frost has passed. Dig a hole about 6” deep and plant with tuber’s eyes facing up. Cover with 6“ of compost. I also add worm castings and mycorrhizae at time of planting to promote healthy root systems.
Spacing: 12-18“ apart
Fertilizing: No need to fertilize until sprouts start to show. Then add a 5-10-10 or a 10-20-20 fertilizer. Follow application instructions on individual fertilizer label. Additionally, we spray a foliar application of fish emulsion weekly.

Salmon Runner

A circular coral pink flower with perfectly shaped petals that reveal tones of dark magenta toward the center. With its notably sturdy and extra long dark green stems, Salmon Runner throws a profusion of blooms throughout the cutting season and is perfect for bouquets.

Type: Formal Decorative
Height: 4-5‘ high
Bloom size: 4“
Days to maturity: 80-100
Planting: Plant in spring after threat of frost has passed. Dig a hole about 6” deep and plant with tuber’s eyes facing up. Cover with 6“ of compost. I also add worm castings and mycorrhizae at time of planting to promote healthy root systems.
Spacing: 12-18“ apart
Fertilizing: No need to fertilize until sprouts start to show. Then add a 5-10-10 or a 10-20-20 fertilizer. Follow application instructions on individual fertilizer label. Additionally, we spray a foliar application of fish emulsion weekly.

Golden Scepter

This dahlia’s warm, buttery golden hued petals are small and perfect for tucking into a bouquet. A favorite because of its lengthy growing season, into late fall.

Type: Decorative
Height: 2-3‘ high
Bloom size: 2.5“
Days to maturity: 80-100
Planting: Plant in spring after threat of frost has passed. Dig a hole about 6” deep and plant with tuber’s eyes facing up. Cover with 6“ of compost. I also add worm castings and mycorrhizae at time of planting to promote healthy root systems.
Spacing: 12-18“ apart
Fertilizing: No need to fertilize until sprouts start to show. Then add a 5-10-10 or a 10-20-20 fertilizer. Follow application instructions on individual fertilizer label. Additionally, we spray a foliar application of fish emulsion weekly.

Cornell Bronze

Upon first glance, these dahlias look too perfect to be real! Their symmetrical tubular petals in shades of bronzed coral contrast brilliantly with their dark green foliage. A sturdy bloomer and reliable producer into the late fall make it a great cut flower and landscape or border flower.

Type: Ball
Height: 4‘ high
Bloom size: 4“
Days to maturity: 80-100
Planting: Plant in spring after threat of frost has passed. Dig a hole about 6” deep and plant with tuber’s eyes facing up. Cover with 6“ of compost. I also add worm castings and mycorrhizae at time of planting to promote healthy root systems.
Spacing: 12-18“ apart
Fertilizing: No need to fertilize until sprouts start to show. Then add a 5-10-10 or a 10-20-20 fertilizer. Follow application instructions on individual fertilizer label. Additionally, we spray a foliar application of fish emulsion weekly.

Jowey Winnie

Your friends will ogle over these stunning sunrise pink dahlias with streaks of pale yellow throughout their petals that harbor a lavender center. Another prolific bloomer and long-stemmed, the Jowey Winnie will grace your home and yard with beauty early in the summer.

Type: Ball
Height: 3-4‘ high
Bloom size: 4“
Days to maturity: 80-100
Planting: Plant in spring after threat of frost has passed. Dig a hole about 6” deep and plant with tuber’s eyes facing up. Cover with 6“ of compost. I also add worm castings and mycorrhizae at time of planting to promote healthy root systems.
Spacing: 12-18“ apart
Fertilizing: No need to fertilize until sprouts start to show. Then add a 5-10-10 or a 10-20-20 fertilizer. Follow application instructions on individual fertilizer label. Additionally, we spray a foliar application of fish emulsion weekly.

Totally Tangerine

Another stunner dahlia, the Totally Tangerine, displays a fringe of rose-pink petals surrounded by an intricate array of tangerine-colored frilly florets. A mid-summer to late-fall abundant bloomer, the smaller blossoms complement an assortment of bouquet flowers.

Type: Anemone
Height: 2-3‘ high
Bloom size: 3“
Days to maturity: 80-100
Planting: Plant in spring after threat of frost has passed. Dig a hole about 6” deep and plant with tuber’s eyes facing up. Cover with 6“ of compost. I also add worm castings and mycorrhizae at time of planting to promote healthy root systems.
Spacing: 12-18“ apart
Fertilizing: No need to fertilize until sprouts start to show. Then add a 5-10-10 or a 10-20-20 fertilizer. Follow application instructions on individual fertilizer label. Additionally, we spray a foliar application of fish emulsion weekly.

Happy Butterfly

I saved the best for last! Just like their name, Happy Butterflies will make you smile! These dahlias exhibit upward facing petals, a blend of butter yellow and tinted pink, and a raspberry center. As the flower ages, the colors saturate into a deeper pink petal with paintbrush streaks of fuchsia. Exquisite! An early bloomer and bred for an extended shelf life, this dahlia will become one of your favorites.

Type: Waterlily
Height: 4.5‘ high
Bloom size: 4“
Days to maturity: 80-100
Planting: Plant in spring after threat of frost has passed. Dig a hole about 6” deep and plant with tuber’s eyes facing up. Cover with 6“ of compost. I also add worm castings and mycorrhizae at time of planting to promote healthy root systems.
Spacing: 12-18“ apart
Fertilizing: No need to fertilize until sprouts start to show. Then add a 5-10-10 or a 10-20-20 fertilizer. Follow application instructions on individual fertilizer label. Additionally, we spray a foliar application of fish emulsion weekly.

More tips to help you grow strong and gorgeous dahlia varieties:

1. Pinching Your Dahlias:

I know you want to keep all those leaves on your precious gorgeous dahlia stalk but trust me, pinching them back will yield more blooms—really!

When your plant is 12-16“ tall, and has at least three to four sets of leaves, it’s time to pinch. Look for the center stem/bud (terminal bud) and pinch or snip it off right above the next set of leaves. By doing this, the plant will now send out multiple lateral shoots, instead of the one central shoot, and create tons more opportunity for more blooms. This process also makes your plants sturdier with stronger stems.

Staking Your Gorgeous Dahlias:

I advise staking your dahlias to keep them straight and strong. It’s best to place your stakes at the time of planting. You can use tall wooden stakes and ti individual plants up to it or do the corralling method with t-posts and twine like we do at the farm.

Harvesting and Vase Life for Dahlias:

If possible, cut your dahlias in the early morning and when the flowers are about half to two-thirds open. Cut the stems deep, at about 18“ long, and immediately plunge into a plastic bucket with a few inches of very hot water. (The water will cool too quickly in a glass vessel). Add a flower preservative and let the water cool to room temperature before arranging. This process will condition and rehydrate the dahlia blooms and give them a vase life of 4-7 days. Cut your stems to the desired length and arrange in a vase.

So, have I convinced you yet to plant one or more of these striking gorgeous dahlia varieties? If so, here are my sources for buying tubers:

Swan Island Dahlias

I love Swan Island because it is a family-owned dahlia farm, established 96 years ago in the Willamette Valley, Oregon. Believe it or not, they grow over 375 varieties of dahlias on about 50 acres. I’ve always had good luck with their tubers and their gorgeous website photos make it easy to choose your favorites.

Bear Creek Farm

Family-owned Bear Creek Farm in the Hudson Valley, NY is the home to another fantastic dahlia purveyor. Besides a menu of over 100 varieties of dahlia tubers, they also offer seasonal workshops, wedding arrangements, and a CSA Flower Subscription for locals. I especially love their philosophy about the interconnection of flowers and people. Check it out on their About Us page.

Fivefork Farms

Fiveforks Farms was started by five siblings in Upton, MA. I appreciate their organic and sustainable farming practices and commitment to quality. My favorites are (insert your favs here). It’s another dependable farm, where the owner’s passion is evident.

Once established, dahlias will grace your garden with color and charm for months. Another plus, dahlias are a magnet for butterflies and hummingbirds! With so many to choose from, which of these gorgeous dahlia varieties strike your fancy?