Dahlia Le Baron

Dahlia Le Baron: A Royal Purple Dinner-Plate Tuber

Make a dramatic statement in your garden with the Dahlia Le Baron tuber. This vigorous, upright variety grows to a height of 100–120 cm with a spread of approximately 60 cm. Its stout canes proudly carry enormous, fully-double “dinner-plate” blooms, measuring 25–30 cm across, high above the mid-green foliage. The flowers open in a cool royal-purple and soften slightly as they age, with petals that sometimes show faint violet or plum highlights depending on the light. The sheer size and rich colour of these blooms make them a breathtaking focal point in any landscape. While they make for stunning cut flowers, their exceptionally large size means they are mainly suited for short-term event décor rather than long bouquets.

Growing Calendar

• Plant tubers: mid-September (when daytime highs are ≤ 38°C).
• First blooms: early December.
• Peak display: December – March.
• Cut back / rest: early May.

Best Uses

• Dramatic back-of-border colour or focal clump in large beds.
• Statement containers (≥ 50 cm wide, one tuber per pot).
• Occasional “wow-factor” cuts for short-term event décor.

Planting & Care Guide

• Light: Full sun (≥ 4 h); supply 30% shade-cloth if temperatures exceed 40°C during establishment.
• Soil: Deep, fertile, perfectly drained. Work 5 L of mature compost and ½ cup of crab & lobster shell meal into each hole for stronger stems.
• Depth & spacing: Plant tuber 10 cm deep, 50 cm apart; place a stake now to avoid piercing tubers later.
• Water: After shoots emerge, deep-soak every 3–4 days; allow the top 3 cm to dry between irrigations.
• Feed (Fertilizing): Monthly low-nitrogen organic bloom fertiliser (~3-6-4) until February, then stop.
• Maintenance: Pinch at 40 cm for extra branching, dead-head or harvest stems promptly; expect 30–50 giant blooms per plant.