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Can anybody help me identify this beautiful Dahlia please?

i10ki10k Posts: 23
in Plants
Hello everyone!

I was lucky enough to pick up this enormous Dahlia for free off the small ads. A lady a couple of towns over redoing her garden quite rightly felt it was too good for the compost heap...

The trouble is; she doesn’t know the type, and my googling has proven inconclusive. 

Most of the flowers are plain white, but a few have a little purple on them - see pics.

Can any of the assembled experts here help shed some light?

Many thanks in advance!

Posts

  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 12,585
    It certainly is a beauty, l'm wondering if it's at least 2 different tubers. Was it in that pot when you got it ?
    That top one looks a bit like "Melody Harmony",  but l'm not 100 % sure.
  • i10ki10k Posts: 23
    Thanks AnniD! Interesting hypothesis - it was already dug up and in the bucket when I collected it, so I don’t know if it is one lump or separate tubers. I plan to leave it to die back (figured it’s been disturbed enough already) and plant out in spring. I’ve drilled a couple of holes in the bucket so it doesn’t drown in the meantime.

    I’ll look up Melody Harmony, thanks for the suggestion. Had thought maybe it was White Cockatoo, but the purple threw me a bit!

  • pot-manpot-man Posts: 140

  • 2 point 42 point 4 Posts: 60
    @i10k - I would suggest you narrow down the search for the name of your dahlia by starting off looking for white decoratives that have dark/bronze foliage.  I see that there is some foliage which is green which might suggest two tubers in the bucket, but by far, the majority seems to be of a dark colour.  This would rule out Crazy Love as that has green foliage and Crazy Love petals usually have a purple picotee edge.  I have it in my garden.

    Subject to there not being two tubers, I suspect that your lilac splashed flowers may be a red herring.  Dahlia genetics are fairly fluid and sometimes breakdown. In addition white/lilac colour ways are closely connected genetically in dahlia world.  For example, Dahlia White Perfection is a sport of Lavender Perfection.  At this stage of the season, it is quite common to find dahlias not flowering true to form or putting up ‘sports’.

    Enjoy it all the same, the white flowers contrasting with the dark foliage makes a good sight.
  • i10ki10k Posts: 23
    Thank you for the insight and pointers - much appreciated! 👍🏻
  • Cambridgerose12Cambridgerose12 Posts: 1,134
    You could contact these people: [email protected]
    Perhaps someone can help. It's a very unusual combination, a breeder might be interested if it is a new sport.
  • 2 point 42 point 4 Posts: 60
    @Cambridgerose12 - the National Dahlia Collection has closed with the last day of visiting their dahlia fields being today I believe.  It’s been sold to a Dutch bulb company so it’s currently uncertain whether they will continue with dahlias or perhaps turn it over to concentrate on daffodils, tulips, etc.
  • Cambridgerose12Cambridgerose12 Posts: 1,134
    Oh, that's sad. Same with the Royal National Rose Society at St Albans. We gardeners are not doing enough to keep our favourites in the public eye! In that case, perhaps the National Dahlia Society could help? https://www.dahlia-nds.co.uk/contact/
  • nataliennatalien Posts: 15
    Just wanted to say, what a find! Such a lucky circumference and a gorgeous dahlia!
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