'Chat Noir' Cactus Dahlia Tubers

Dahlia Chat Noir

Chat Noir is a sumptuous cactus dahlia. It's hugely popular for its ruby-red flowers, which are up to 15cm across, almost black at the centre, and silky soft. The spiky petals are pointed, long and narrow, with a slight, undulating upturn toward the tips. The stiff, robust, 1.1m stems are a complementary deep chocolate brown. It makes a wonderful cut flower, lasting well in a vase, and it holds the RHS Award of Garden Merit.
Browse our cactus dahlia range.

In the garden

Being a tall and stately dahlia, Chat Noir is best grown towards the back of a border, where it will bring drama and exotic good looks. Combine it with other late-summer stars. It works best in generous groups. Be daring and combine it with other bold colours for a stunning display: think vibrant pink Lucky Number, copper-orange Lakeland Autumn and tangerine Summer Flame. It looks sublime with cottage-garden favourites such as Foeniculum vulgare 'Giant Bronze', ruby red sedums, or a veil of ornamental grasses to soften its architectural good looks.

Always grow in full sun, in a big pot, if necessary, with well-drained soil. Stake well in early summer to stop those big exotic flowers flopping.

Features

• Colour: deep wine red, near black at the centre
• Flower size: 12-15cm
• Type: cactus dahlia
• Cutting: yes
• Height/spread: 1.1m x 50cm
• Flowering: July to November
• Planting months: late February to July
• RHS Award of Garden Merit

Did you know?

To tell a spent dahlia flower from a bud, remember that a spent flower is always conical, whereas an unopened bud is rounded.

All dahlias do best in deep rich soil with good drainage in a sunny spot. If it is windy they will need staking. They are greedy, thirsty plants so will need watering in dry spells, and they will always flower just that little bit better if there is a bit of soluble food in the watering can once every couple of weeks.

If you ignore seed, Dahlias can be planted at three stages: as tubers, rooted cuttings and pot-grown plants.

Dahlia tubers can be planted at any time from March onwards. The hole should be at least double the diameter of the tuber laid out on the ground. Incorporate about 25% well rotted compost and if drainage is in any way doubtful then add plenty of horticultural grit as well. Plant one tuber per hole, leaving 60-80 cms between plants (depending on final size) and make sure the tuber is covered with 10-12 cms (4-5") of soil. This is important as it will insulate the tuber against frosts in March-May as they will take a couple of months to show.

Rooted cuttings, which are available from early April onwards, will need to be potted up and kept in a sunny and frost free place until they are ready to be planted out in mid May. Their treatment then is the same as for tubers except they are planted level with rather than 10 cms below the surrounding soil level.

Pot grown plants are not delivered until June, and are then planted out immediately in the same way as an established rooted cutting.

The more you deadhead, the more dahlias flower.