I must admit I've been neglecting my garden this winter, and apparently my Dahlia imperialis has been happily blooming away for some time now. This is the first time I've seen it bloom, and it looks like it's a bit past its prime...but wow! The stalks were blown over in October, and then we just propped up in a haphazard fashion and forgot about them. The plant itself needs a bit of cleaning up, but I thought I'd post a couple of pics anyhow. :-)
Here it is next to the 6 foot tall fence:
Another shot:
one more:
The blooms:
How cool! Can seeds be saved from them?
Wonderful! I really missed a D.I. to watch this year. Gorgeous double blooms against the blue skies of San Jose. They are just awesome to watch grow, aren't they? Even with some mild neglect, what a fine result you got, Sunny G. Congratulations are in order.
Don't know about the, seed thing with a dahlia imperialis. A cutting or eyed tuber is a sure replication. They are are super growers and in KY you might have a chance to see it bloom before frost which is the challenge here.
Really? They may actually bloom here? Wonder how early it would need to be started?
I don't know your typical weather, gemini_sage, but the earlier the start, the better. I imagine you have much warmer summer temps for both days and nights than we do in the NW, and we've had two NW DGer's grow theirs to bloom. Both of those were left in the ground overwinter though, I think. DIs excel in the rapid growth department and are just plain fun to watch, like a magic bean sprout, whether you see them bloom or not. But a bloom is icing on the cake.
I've considered DI because I do like tropicals and big, over sized plants. We typically do get the warm, balmy summers that most Dahlias seem to enjoy, although this past growing season was unusually mild.
Booglingly beautious sunnyg!
Sunnyg - I am in zone 9a - your D.I. blooming this time of the year gives me hope that maybe I will be as lucky next year. Annie's annuals and perennials offer them through their catalog (though not available at the moment) and that is one plant that I do plan on getting this year if I can. Where did you get yours? It is so great to have blooms in the dead of winter. You said that this is the first you have seen it blooming - how old is your plant?
Sorry for my late response, and thanks for all the comments :-). (Waving "hi" at Dahlianut, long time no "see"). We've been hit with so much rain lately, and all the petals have fallen off the blooms. There is new growth already growing up from the roots, and I need to saw off the old stalks (I can't find my saw and a pair of clippers just aren't going to do the job).
Gemini_sage, I don't know about saving seeds either, but I believe my DI was a rooted cutting. I'd say go for it, and see what happens! As Poochella mentioned, it is fun to see their rapid growth, even if you don't get a bloom.
Soilsandup, I got my DI from Annie's Annuals, as I am lucky enough to live within driving distance of the nursery (this is actually quite a dangerous thing, believe me ;-)). If you're ever down in the Bay Area, I definitely suggest stopping in for a visit. The prices are lower than they are in the catalog, the selection is more extensive, the nursery itself is huge and a blast to visit, and the demonstration gardens are outstanding. I bought my plant late fall of 2008 as a tiny and very sad looking rooted cutting. It really looked bad (the leaves even looked like they possibly had some sort of disease) and normally I wouldn't get something that looked like that... but I had wanted to try one of these as well. Winter of '09 it grew but didn't bloom, and I cut it down in spring '09 when new growth started shooting up, and this time...ahhhh success :-). I think it's very likely that you'll be able to get blooms up in Sacramento. Annie's site has it hardy from zones 8a-11 http://www.anniesannuals.com/plants/plant_display.asp?prodid=2129
iv been looking for a DI for so long! i looked at "Annies" website and they have the pink ones iv been looking for! that website is awsome. there are so many cool plants on that website!!!
I noticed that they have it available now too, but it saids that it is available through web order only. So I guess that means that you cannot go to the nursery and purchase it, but have to order it online and pay for shipping. I live close enough and do go to the bay area once in a while and can take a detour to Annie's, but if you can't buy it there, that can only mean one thing - I have to buy 7 more plants since it cost the same to ship one plant as it does to ship 8 plants........
Cody - let me know if you are able to pick up a plant or if you ended up ordering one.
well soilsandup..
im kingof on a budget and im torn between getting a $13 gloriosa lilly bulb and mabye a little somrthing else, or a $24 pink dahlia imp....what would you do?? haha
It looks like they took the "web order only" restriction off the pink DI, and it's currently available for $9.95. http://www.anniesannuals.com/plants/plant_display.asp?prodid=309&account=none Hopefully the double white one will be available soon as well. If either of you are considering a trip to the nursery itself, you might try calling and seeing if either/both are available, as many items that are listed as unavailable on their website are available at the nursery itself. Best of luck :-)
Thanks for the info, Sunnyg. My daughter goes up to the bay area now and then - I'll need to request a side trip to Annie's for her. I think I prefer the white - is that the one that is supposed to be a little shorter and a winter bloomer? Or are they both similar, but just different colors? I have a wish list of about 5-6 plants, though I keep telling myself that I need to stop and deal with the plants that I have that are still in pots waiting to be planted.
