Dahlia coccinea (Scarlet Dahlia)

A very popular Dahlia species, Dahlia coccinea provides a brilliant floral display with profuse vivid red, single velvety flowers in late summer. They contrast beautifully against the finely dissected, dark green foliage. The single flowers, up to 4 in. wide (10 cm) blend nicely with other plants and add welcomed color and form to the late summer and fall borders. Very attractive to butterflies and bees, this dahlia is a very pretty and versatile plant. While it is quite tall, it has a terrific delicate habit of growing through other plants, and it does not need staking.

• Blooming massively from August until Frost, this dahlia grows up to 2-5 ft. tall (60-150 cm) and is an excellent choice to create a lovely garden display or for show.
• A great pick for borders, containers, or as cut flowers thanks to its superb vase life. Did you know that the more you cut Dahlia flowers, the more flowers you get? This makes Dahlias twice as nice: pretty in a vase, pretty in the garden. A great big flower in a vase or floating in a shallow bowl makes the perfect eye-catcher.
• Best flowering occurs in full sun, but light shade will be welcomed in hot summer areas.
• Provide consistent moisture during the growing season and do not allow soils to dry out. Plant in a sheltered location to protect your dahlias from strong winds.
• Best in groups of 5 for best visual effect. Deadhead spent flowers to promote the growth of additional flower buds.
• Toxic to dogs, toxic to cats, toxic to horses.
• If you live in a cool area (hardiness zones 3-7) and you want to save your dahlia bulbs, or more precisely, your dahlia tubers for next spring, you may dig them up before the first frost and store them over winter before replanting them next spring. Store them in boxes, covered with moistened sand in a cool, dark, frost-free place where the temperature remains between 45-50 °F (7-10°C).