Not the plant you're looking for? Search over 300,000 plants
Herbaceous Perennial

Dahlia Happy Single Date ('HS Date'PBR) (Happy Single Series) (Sin)
  • RHS Plants for pollinators

dahlia [Happy Single Date]

Grows to 60-70cm high, with dark red-green leaves, dark red stems, and single flowers, 5-10cm across, from summer to autumn; the outer circle of ray florets are pale orange with darker orange-red at their bases, forming an orange-red ring around the dark brown and golden centres

Synonyms
Dahlia 'HS Date'PBR (Happy Single Series)
Dahlia 'Dark Leaf Date'
Buy this plant
Size
Ultimate height
0.5–1 metres
Time to ultimate height
2–5 years
Ultimate spread
0.1–0.5 metres
Growing conditions
Chalk
Loam
Sand
Moisture
Moist but well–drained
pH
Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Colour & scent
StemFlowerFoliageFruit
Spring Green Red
Summer Red Brown Gold Orange Red Green Red
Autumn Red Brown Gold Orange Red Green Red
Winter
Position
  • Full sun
Aspect

South–facing or East–facing or West–facing

Exposure
Sheltered
Hardiness
H3
Botanical details
Family
Asteraceae
Native to GB / Ireland
No
Foliage
Deciduous
Habit
Clump forming
Genus

Dahlia are tuberous rooted perennials with pinnately divided leaves and showy flowerheads, double in many cultivars, in summer and autumn

Name status

Trade

Horticultural Group
Single-flowered dahlias have flowerheads usually less than 10cm across, with one or two rows of spreading ray florets, surrounding a central boss of small tubular disc florets which are valuable for bees and butterflies

How to grow

Cultivation

Plant tubers 10-15cm deep in fertile, humus-rich, well-drained soil, in full sun; cut back to near ground level in mid-autumn, then in mild areas and on well-drained soils leave the tubers in the ground and protect with a deep organic mulch, while in colder areas or on heavy soils lift and store the tubers and replant in late spring after all danger of frost has passed; for more advice, see dahlia cultivation

Propagation

Propagate by basal softwood cuttings taken in spring from shoots from stored tubers, or divide the tubers, ensuring that each division has a viable bud

Suggested planting locations and garden types
  • City and courtyard gardens
  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Patio and container plants
  • Wildlife gardens
  • Flower borders and beds
  • Cut flowers
  • Bedding
Pruning

Deadhead to prolong flowering

Pests

May be susceptible to aphids, capsid bug, earwigs, caterpillars, slugs, glasshouse red spider mite, and onion thrips

Diseases

May be susceptible to powdery mildews, dahlia mosaic virus, cucumber mosaic virus, tomato spotted wilt virus, storage rots, leafy gall, crown gall, dahlia smut, grey moulds, fungal leaf spot, Phytophthora, Sclerotinia, Verticillium wilts, and virus diseases

Get involved

The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.