Description

Dahlia ‘Cafe au Lait’ is a classic decorative (dinnerplate-style) dahlia with large, fully double blooms in soft cream tones with peachy-blush shading. Flower colour can vary slightly from bloom to bloom and through the season, which is part of its charm. A great choice for borders and cutting gardens, producing flowers from mid-summer through to autumn in the right conditions. Plants can grow tall and benefit from a sheltered, sunny spot plus staking/support as they develop. Dahlias like fertile soil and consistent moisture, but always with good drainage (especially important in pots). Start tubers in pots for an earlier start, or plant outside once frost risk has passed. You are buying dormant tubers (not a potted plant); photos show the expected flowering type and colour range.

Also known as (common/other names):
Cafe au Lait Dahlia • Decorative Dahlia • Dinnerplate Dahlia • Garden Dahlia • Dahlia x hybrida • (Synonym: Dahlia ‘Caffe Latte’)

Key Benefits

• Large, full decorative blooms in soft cream/blush tones
• Ideal for cut flowers and summer arrangements
• Long flowering season from mid-summer into autumn (weather dependent)
• Great impact in borders, cottage gardens and cutting beds
• Can be grown in large patio pots with good drainage
• Easy to grow with simple feeding and deadheading
• Start in pots for an earlier display
• Tubers can be lifted and stored to replant next season
• Clear planting guide included below

Product Details

• Variety: Dahlia ‘Cafe au Lait’
• Pack size: Choose 1 / 2 / 3 / 5 / 10 / 20 tubers from the options
• Type: Tuber (dahlia tuber)
• Flower type: Decorative (fully double), “dinnerplate-style”
• Approx. flower size: Large blooms (often up to around 25cm / 10in in good conditions)
• Approx. height: Up to around 1.2m (conditions and support make a difference)
• Flowering time: Mid-summer to autumn
• Position: Full sun, sheltered from strong winds
• Soil: Fertile, moist but well-drained soil/compost
• Tuber size/grade: 14/15

Pollinator-friendly note (honest guidance):
Dahlias can flower late into the season when pollinators are still active, but fully double decorative blooms are mainly grown for display and cutting and may offer limited access compared with single-flowered dahlias. If you’re planting for wildlife too, add nectar-rich companions nearby (see below) and/or include a single-flowered dahlia variety elsewhere in the garden.

Best Companions to Plant With

For a fuller border and extra colour (plus more pollinator-friendly planting around it), pair with: salvias, verbena bonariensis, echinacea, rudbeckia, cosmos, zinnias and ornamental grasses. For soft, “florist-style” combinations, try ammi (lace flower), nigella, scabiosa and gypsophila nearby. In pots, underplant with trailing bacopa or calibrachoa and keep the dahlia well-supported.

More Reasons to Choose

• Statement blooms that suit modern and cottage-style gardens
• Excellent for cutting — take stems regularly to encourage more flowers
• Performs best in sun and responds well to feeding
• Works in borders or large containers with drainage
• Staking keeps tall stems secure and flowers cleaner
• Deadheading helps extend the flowering season
• Can be overwintered by lifting and storing tubers
• Great option for building a dedicated cut-flower patch
• Simple, clear planting steps reduce mistakes
• Eco-friendly/recyclable packaging

Growing Information

• Flowering time: Mid-summer to autumn
• Height: Up to around 1.2m (support recommended)
• Position: Full sun, sheltered
• Soil: Fertile, humus-rich, moist but well-drained

Planting Guide (simple steps)

1. Store tubers cool, dry and frost-free until planting time.
2. For an earlier start, pot up in late winter/early spring and grow on in a bright, frost-free place.
3. Plant outside after the risk of frost has passed.
4. Plant tubers horizontally with the “eyes” facing up, around 10–12cm deep.
5. Space plants roughly 40–60cm apart (more room for bigger plants) and stake/support early.
6. Water in after planting; once growing strongly, keep evenly moist but never waterlogged.
7. Pinch out growing tips early to encourage bushier plants and more flowers.
8. Deadhead regularly to keep flowers coming.
9. After the first frosts blacken the foliage, lift and store tubers dry and frost-free (or protect in very mild areas).

Good to Know

• Colour can vary from cream to blush/peach tones depending on weather and maturity.
• Big blooms can be heavy — support helps prevent snapped stems.
• Cutting flowers encourages the plant to produce more buds.
• Dahlias are tender in much of the UK — tubers are usually lifted and stored over winter.

What You Will Receive

• Dahlia ‘Cafe au Lait’ tubers – quantity as selected (1 / 2 / 3 / 5 / 10 / 20)
• Eco-friendly recyclable packaging
• Planting and care instructions included

Thank you for looking.