Dahlia Tanita

Dahlia Tanita: Bi-Color Tuber with a Spun-Silk Look

Add a unique colour splash to your garden with the Dahlia Tanita tuber. This bushy, upright plant grows to a height of 100 cm with a spread of about 50 cm. Its many branching stems carry fully-double blooms, 13–14 cm across, well above the light-green foliage. The narrow petals of each flower roll backwards to expose two shades at once: a beautiful lilac-pink face and a rich magenta-red reverse, giving every bloom a stunning bi-colored “spun-silk” look. This striking contrast adds dynamic visual interest to any garden space.

Dahlia Tanita is an excellent choice for mid-border colour schemes or for creating large patio containers. Its flowers also make for striking cut stems, lasting 5–7 days in a vase and beautifully revealing both petal colours. With consistent dead-heading and maintenance, you can expect to enjoy over 80 of these gorgeous bi-color blooms per plant throughout the long flowering season from late November through March.

Growing Calendar

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

Best Uses

• Mid-border colour splash or pastel-to-berry schemes.
• Large patio containers (≥ 40 cm).
• Striking cut stems that reveal both petal colours in the vase.

Planting & Care Guide

• Light: Full sun ≥ 4 h; provide 30% shade-cloth if temperatures exceed 40°C during establishment.
• Soil: Deep, fertile, perfectly drained; incorporate 5 L of mature compost and ½ cup of crab-&-lobster shell meal per planting hole.
• Depth & spacing: Set tubers 10 cm deep, 45 cm apart; stake now to avoid damaging tubers later.
• Water: After shoots appear, deep-soak every 3–4 days; allow the top 3 cm of soil to dry between irrigations.
• Feed (Fertilising): Monthly low-nitrogen organic bloom fertiliser (~3-6-4) until February, then stop.
• Maintenance: Pinch at 35 cm for bushier plants; dead-head or harvest promptly to expect 80+ bi-colour blooms.