How to Grow
Dahlias are grown from tubers (similar to a bulb, but thin-skinned like a potato). Plant tubers in the springtime, about the same time as you would your vegetable gardens or when the ground is warm enough to work up and play in daily. Plant them in a full sun location (giving them 6-8 hours of direct sunlight) and enjoy blooms all summer long. They will bloom and provide you with color and abundant flowers for cutting and enjoying throughout the summer.
The more you cut a dahlia plant, the more it will bloom. Most cut dahlias will last up to 5 days once cut and treated.
Similar Color
I was content with the tubers I received and fell in love with the blooms! The plant didn't get very tall maybe only 2ft for me? But it's finally pushing out blooms now that October is here. I bought these for my wedding flowers and was able to use 1 bloom for my wedding mid August. But I think I didn't get tubers in the ground as early as I could have. The blooms seem more yellow-tinged when it's hot out. You can see the variation in the photos.
What an incredible dahlia! Planted the tuber on Mother’s Day and it’s now a huge healthy plant loaded with buds. The flowers are the most incredible peachy gold color and have such a beautiful shape that really does look like a waterlily. They seem to last fairly long in the vase too.
Oh my goodness, OH MY GOODNESS! I had a horrible gopher year last season that just annihilated my tubers, but luckily My Forever was saved! The plant didn't do so well the first year, but like I said, it was a bad garden year and I may have salvaged the tuber before it bloomed in fear of losing it to the gophers. This year the plant has gone insane! A strong 4' plant with the most gorgeous, long lasting blossoms. The photo here doesn't do her any justice. Definitely one of the prettiest flowers in my garden.
The prettiest dahlias I’ve ever grown. Sturdy, great producers, last awhile in a vase. I wish I could attach photos to this review, I’ve taken so many great photos of this one!!
I was so thrilled to finally get my hands on Kelgai Ann this year. My Forever blew it out of the water! I was shocked to see these gorgeous peachy water lily dahlias standing perfect in the row next to the one I was working in. I made my way over and looked at the label. My Forever. It was love at first sight. Hands down this was my favorite dahlia of 2024. I ordered 10 tubers because once word gets out everyone will want this! I'd say this is one of your best introductions ever; well done.
The tuber looked good upon arrival. First order with Swan Island and 3 out of 7 tubers ordered have not performed well (one died, Groovy is so stunted that the growth is only 4", one "wild cultivar" tuber is stunted with weak looking leaves). My Forever is one that has healthy growth but is a later bloomer for me (planted at end of May 2 hours SW of Swan Island Dahlia farm). I also ordered dahlia tubers for the first time with a different company and all of them are currently flourishing with abundant flowers and strong plants. I mixed the plantings of all the tubers, so the Swan Island Dahlias are growing in the same plots as the flourishing other company dahlias. Swan Island is replacing one of the 3 tubers next season, so I shall see next year how Tapioca grows. As a note of FYI: the "warranty" is only up to a certain date to turn in photos of the tubers in question. I only turned in one by that date because I did see some growth on the other two that didn't perform well, but with more time, thinking they would catch up after sprouting, the date to turn in photos had passed. So if you have a colder zone or chilly season with slower growth, you may be out of luck with some of Swan Island's dahlia tubers' warranty. I spent over $80 on this order for the season. I spent a total of less than half that with the other company with 100% abundant success. I may be an anomaly in the statistics of buyers here, but wanted to at least post my experience as a first time buyer.
Just BUY HER~ she will win you and everyone else over! Incredibly gorgeous colors throughout the season a top sturdy stems. A treasured flower out of my group of 32.
Was at a neighborhood party, brought some people back to see The Garden, and this flower literally made a woman cry. If I didn’t get to see it every year, for most of the season, I would too. I deeply love this flower. I don’t battle pests, it doesn’t get burned, a good long stem for arrangements, holds up in a vase FOREVER, and contained bushy plant structure. If they weren’t such absolute show stoppers in my arrangements, I’d use every inch of available space to grow this one. It means so much to me I keep them up front & center so I see them right as I look out my window. Love love love.
Color wise, it goes full spectrum of yellow tint through orange and into brown. Pairs incredibly well with white, pinks, and purples (in addition to yellow, orange & brown)
WOW!!! This is a stunner! It doesn’t even look real, it’s so amazing. The waterlily shape is perfection and the colors look like a watercolor of the sunset. My mother and my kids are always trying to run off with the flowers because they’re one of the most beautiful things we’ve ever seen. It’s an “always grow”
The gradient of this flower is beautiful! Really pulls together a bouquet with whites and peaches. Quite prolific, and one of the earliest to sprout.
I saw this be at at the farm and knew I had to have it. The tuber was excellent quality when it arrived here in Oregon. This Dahlia was my first one to pop out of the ground. Stems are short and sturdy and haven’t needed staking. It didn’t need pinching back and grew multiple stems right from the start. The flowers were the very first to bloom, and seem to last several days as cut flowers. The color is stunning, sometimes more bronze, other times more yellow and peach, and sometimes with a beautiful cool pink in the middle turning to gold again in the center. Hands down my favorite flower. I check on it several time a day to see the colors change.
so beautiful flower, i love this type, many bloom and correct image
Absolute perfection. Consistently pumps out blooms, even in Zone 8a heat. The blooms last days longer than others, have super long strong stems, and they are just...stunning. I don't even like orange or yellow blooms, but this resembles a perfect sunset, not orange. not yellow...just beautifully muted hues that never fail to make me smile. If I could only grow one variety for the rest of my life it would be this one, which is crazy because I also grow KA's Mocha Jo but even so...My Forever wins.
What a wonderful surprise My Forever is this year in the garden. I have about 47 different dahlias and about 50% are open so far. My Forever was an early bloomer for me (first week of July - Zone 5b - Indiana) and she is just gorgeous. First round of blooms produced about 6 big blooms. The pics here don't do it justice. Prettiest one so far in the garden, but it will take one special dahlia to outshine My Forever. What a keeper!! Plus, she holds up well in the vase.