Arabian Night Dahlia Tubers

Arabian Night: Decorative Dahlia Tubers

Arabian Night is one of the best-known red-black flowers on the market, and they don't disappoint when it comes to the dark and mysterious stakes! The plants carry masses of double, deep blood-red flowers with slightly incurved petals, measuring up to 10-15 cm in diameter. Under a certain light, the velvety petals take on an almost black hue.

It will add a bold splash of deep, rich colour to your garden during late summer and early autumn, when most other plants are past their best.

Being so dark, it is a favourite with flower arrangers; there are so many pale blooms to work with but so few deep colours! The almost-black, velvety petals add drama to arrangements and bouquets. From a technical point of view, the study stems make them easy to work with.
Browse our other Decorative Dahlias or our full range of Dahlias here.

Features

• Colour: Deep blood red, almost black
• Flower Size: 10-15 cm
• Type: Decorative Dahlia
• Cutting: Yes
• Height/Spread: 1.2m x 50cm
• Flowering: July to November
• Outdoor Planting Months: March to July

Growing Arabian Night Dahlias

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 that little bit better if there is a bit of soluble food in the watering can once every couple of weeks.

It will perform well in a large pot, as long as it is well staked, fed and watered and is in a sheltered location.

It is generally more convenient to put support stakes in at planting time, rather than leaving it until there is foliage in the way.

Planting Companions for Arabian Night

It's one of the taller dahlias at 1.2m, so is ideal for the middle of a sunny mixed border. An ideal companion for red and purple flowers and foliage plants.

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

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 flowers you'll get.

Did You Know?

This has been a cutting garden favourite since it was released in the early 1950's by C.S. Weijers nursery, Netherlands.

Exhibitors love its dramatic good looks and reliability - to get bigger show flowers, nip out excess side buds to concentrate the plant's energy.