Dahlia care
Dahlias are late-summer architecture — heads built like geometry, in a range of colours that runs from cream-white to almost-black. The bloom is heavy; the stem needs water.
Season
July–October
Vase life
Medium
Sourcing
Direct from growers
Difficulty
Moderate
How to care for them
Dahlias are thirsty and the stem is hollow at the cut. Re-cut at a sharp angle and place in a vase with plenty of cool water. Strip any leaves below the waterline. They drink steadily through the life of the bouquet.
Refresh the water every two days. Top up daily — dahlias get through more water than most stems. Keep cool, out of direct sun. Heat is the enemy.
If a dahlia head droops, the stem has run dry. Re-cut higher up the stem, refresh with cool water, return to a cool spot. Recovery is usually quick.
Common questions
A medium display — several days with the right care. Dahlias are thirsty and dislike heat; cool rooms and regular top-ups extend them noticeably. Every order is covered by our Stem freshness promise.
Dahlias have hollow stems that draw water heavily — if the vase has run low even briefly, the head droops fast. Re-cut higher up the stem at a sharp angle, refresh the water, and the bloom usually recovers within an hour.
Mildly toxic to cats and dogs — can cause skin irritation and mild gastrointestinal upset if eaten. The tubers (planted in the garden) are more problematic than the cut flower. Keep cut dahlias out of reach of pets that graze.
Dahlias have been bred into many forms — pompon, cactus, decorative, ball, dinner-plate. The studio chooses varieties for both look and vase performance. Larger heads (like dinner-plate dahlias) are more demanding but make stunning focal flowers.
Dahlia season runs from July through October, peaking in late summer. The earliest stems come from greenhouse growers in June.
A few petals dropping is normal as the bloom matures. Whole heads disintegrating means the stem has gone too long without water or the room is too warm. Refresh the water and move to a cooler spot.
Pairs beautifully with
