Dahlia variabilis

‘Black Beauty’

BLACK BEAUTY DAHLIAS

Dahlia variabilis ‘Black Beauty’
BLACK BEAUTY DAHLIAS

Dahlia variabilis ‘Black Beauty’ is a chic and fashionable garden stunner.

Deepest, darkest, velvety black-red

Because the blooms of ‘Black Beauty’ are pure and simple singles.
And this really shows of the luxurious, velvety, deepest black-red petals to best advantage.
‘Black Beauty’ is probably the darkest, closest to black Dahlia possible, and the devilishly dark singles are brightly lifted by large egg-yolk yellow centres.

Compact, chunky grower with a mass of flowers

Dahlia variabilis ‘Black Beauty’ is a low, neat and compact growing plant, which covers itself with blooms.
So it needs no staking and is very suitable in the flower bed or in a pot for showy display.

As easy to grow as any other Dahlias

I am delighted to say that Dahlias are enjoying being fashionable again.
Because these hardy old garden standbys fell into a fashion black hole for some decades – but Dahlias are back.
Gardeners cant resist their rich colour, wonderful cut flowers for vases, and ease of growing.
And ‘Black Beauty’ is very fashionable indeed now – with its velvety, unusual black colour; mass of blooms; and compact neat growth.
So the bushes are low, stoutly branching and weather hardy.

Quick from seed to flower

And if you sow your seeds indoors in late winter to very early spring – you can have new plants to plant out early summer, and first flowers to see that autumn.
Then the tubers tgo on blooming for many following years.

Harvest edible flowers for the kitchen

Use the petals of Dahlia variabilis ‘Black Beauty’ as a colourful and tasty addition to salads, fruit salads, punches and cocktail drinks.
So pluck the petals and discard the chunky centre of the flower and just keep the petals.
Dahlia tubers are also eminently edible and highly prized for food in several different cultures.
The tuber flavour varies depending on individual plants and conditions, but resembles a cross between water-chestnut, beetroot and carrots.

SEED SOWING ADVICE: QUICK & EASY

Suitable for beginners & gardening with kids

Sow any time of year indoors in appropriate temperatures / or scatter directly in the garden in spring & early summer.

Dahlias are easy to grow from seed, and soon form a tuber.
So many Dahlia breeders increase their selection by growing from seed.

Sow indoors for quick & early plants: First sow the seed in a punnet on surface of good quality seed raising mix.
Then cover the seed to a depth of approx. 5mm.

Now stand the sown punnet in a shallow water bath and allow the moisture to percolate up to the surface of the mix from below.

Drain, then place the moist punnet in a warm, well-lit position position (but not in any direct sunlight).
And covering the punnet with a clear plastic lid will help keep the surface consistently moist.

Continue to keep the sown punnet moist by misting from a spray water bottle.

Temperatures of 20-25°C are best for rapid and optimum germination.
Because Dahlia seeds do like heat for sprouting.
So use a heat mat if you have one.

Seedlings emerge in approx. 7-14 days.

Then prick out into individual pots once the first set of true leaves have developed, and grow on in pots ready to plant out into the garden in summer.

Seed Count: 8 seeds per pack approx. (Seeds of this special plant are scarce)
(We always aim to exceed the stated seed count, and give a generous serve).

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