Dahlia 'David Howard'
Family - Asteraceae
Category - Perennial
Origin - Raised at Howard's Nursery, in Norfolk, England
Discovered By - Raised by David Howard
Year of Introduction - late 1950's
Season of Interest - Summer, Autumn
Hardiness - H3
Height - 1.5m
Width - 60cm
Location - The Exotic Garden
Description: A Decorative Dahlia.
A clump-forming, tuberous Perennial with a bushy, upright habit. Dark reddish-green, pinnate leaves have oval to ovate leaflets with coarsely toothed margins. Fully double flowers have gently incurved petals that flatten as the Bloom opens and matures. The Blooms are bright orange with deeper centres. The flowers are held singly on upright stems and are produced over a long period from midsummer into mid-autumn, or until hit by a hard frost. Excellent for use as cut flowers.
Award of Garden Merit (AGM).
Flower:
Fully double flowers have gently incurved ray florets (petals) that flatten as the bloom opens and matures. The blooms are bright, pale orange with deeper centres. The flowers are held singly on upright stems and are produced over a long period from July into October or taken down by frost.
Flower colour: Orange
Flower shape: Disc and ray florets
Flowering time: July, August, September, October
Foliage:
Deep reddish-green (often described as bronze), pinnate leaves have oval to ovate leaflets with Dentate margins. The leaves are held in opposite pairs on hollow, upright stems.
Foliage Senescence: Deciduous
Foliage Shape: Pinnate with oval to ovate leaflets
Propagation:
Cuttings, division.
Cultivation:
Best in full sun in fertile, moisture-retentive soil that is well-drained. Store the tubers in a frost-free place over winter.