Swoon-Worthy Dahlia Varieties for your Cut Flower Garden

Admit it. You’ve caught the dahlia-growing bug. You’ve seen all those gorgeous flower farming accounts on Instagram and are officially in love. You know you want to grow dahlias for cut flowers, but there are so. many. varieties. How do you know which dahlias make the best cut flowers? Which varieties are the prettiest and work the best in your flower arrangements?

In this post, I’ll break down what to look for in a dahlia variety (and if it’s even intended for cutting!) and share some of my favourites that look good in both your garden and in the vase. Then, when you’ve made your list of must-haves, head over to these posts to learn even more about dahlias:

Plus, check out my list of Canadian dahlia sellers here!

A rustic red ladder is adorned with a vibrant arrangement of flowers, including dahlias in shades of pink, red, and orange, as well as various green foliage, creating a natural and colorful display against an outdoor backdrop of trees and grass.

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How to tell if a Dahlia variety would make a good cut flower

As I mentioned above, there are TONS of dahlia varieties available. The amount is staggering, and it’s sometimes difficult to know if you’re getting a good one. They’re also pretty expensive! A cheap dahlia tuber goes for around $6-$7 a piece, and more expensive ones can go for upwards of $15-$20. They’re also labour intensive, as they need to be dug out in the fall, stored over the winter, started early, and then planted. Talk about a lot of money and work for a flower! All this to say, you don’t want to mess it up.

“FUN” FACT: When we first updated this post in March 2022, prices were $4 for a cheap tuber and $10 for an expensive tuber. By September 2022, the prices were almost double! And now, in 2024, prices have not lowered! In the past (especially during COVID), dahlia tubers have sold out within minutes from certain breeders. While I think some of that mentality has gotten a little better post-COVID, still in the cut-flower-growing world, if there’s something you really want, you really need to be on top of sales!

A vibrant field of blooming dahlia flowers with shades of pink, peach, and yellow under a hazy sky. Tall flowers with round, full blooms are interspersed with smaller flowers and greenery, creating a colorful and lush landscape. A path winds through the middle of the field.

Once the dahlia grows, look for stem length, whether the stem is sturdy or not, and whether the stem is thick or not. Some growers don’t worry about this, but if you’re growing for bridal arrangements, you might not want super thick stems, as they can be an issue when arranging. You also want to look at how the dahlia faces: up, straight, or down. If the flower faces down, it might not be the best option. It’s usually best to look for upward or straight-facing blooms.

The best way to tell if a dahlia would be good for cutting is to check the height of the plant. Anything that will grow to around 3 feet or more is a sure bet. The shorter varieties are either meant for containers or to be planted in landscapes. While you can use these flowers in arrangements, the stems will likely not be as long as you’d like them.

A vibrant, assorted flower arrangement placed on a rustic wooden bench. The bouquet includes colorful blossoms such as pink dahlias, orange gladiolus, and red zinnias, surrounded by lush green foliage. A large tree with a twisted trunk is in the background.

Every Shape and Size

Dahlias generally come in 4 different sizes: small (sometimes called pom-sized), medium, large, and dinner plate. I personally am not a fan of the super large dinner plate varieties for cutting, only because the flowers are too big for most arrangements. However, the offshoot flowers tend to be smaller and a more reasonable size.

Dahlias can come in a wide range of colours and combinations—red, orange, yellow, coral, pink, purple, white, and very deep shades of red and purple. They also have different textures. Some, like Cafe au Lait, have looser textured petals, and others, like Jowey Winnie, are tighter. There are also cactus varieties with thin, spiky petals.

A close-up of a hand holding a vibrant bouquet of flowers, including deep red dahlias, greenery, and various other colorful blossoms. The bouquet is adorned with a long, orange ribbon and is set against a blurred outdoor background.

Tips for Purchasing Dahlias

So, it’s your first time growing dahlias, and you’re not sure how much or what to invest in. Here’s what you need to know and some of my thoughts now that I’ve grown dahlias for a few years and invested in both cheap and expensive tubers.

If you are growing dahlias purely for your enjoyment, buy the cheap ones at a big box store. They’re much cheaper, and if you lose a tuber or two it’s not such a big deal because they’re not nearly as expensive. However, you will likely not find the really coveted varieties that I’ve listed here. That’s okay. Digging up and storing dahlia tubers over the winter is a bit tricky, so it’s better to lose cheap tubers than expensive ones.

If you are a flower farmer or you want to start a side hustle selling bouquets from your backyard, then it’s better to buy from a reputable grower or another flower farmer so you actually get the varieties that customers want. It’s a sizeable investment, but once you have the tubers, you can cut and divide them every year and expand your collection.

A lush field of blooming dahlias, showcasing soft pink and peach hues, stretches under a hazy sky. The scene is filled with tall, vibrant flowers and green foliage, creating a picturesque and serene atmosphere. — I don’t know the name of this variety, and at first glance, it might not seem the most exciting, but it’s longer-lasting and an extremely versatile colour in bouquets!

The Best Dahlia Varieties for Flower Farmers

Every flower farmer will have their preferences, but these are some of my favourites. These are some of the prettiest dahlia varieties to arrange with. They’re the ones that make your brides happy and your Instagram account swoon-worthy.

1. Sweet Nathalie

Gorgeous in wedding work and paired with other dusty pinks, lavender, or burgundy.

A close-up of several cream-colored Sweet Nathalie dahlias with pink centers in bloom. The flowers are densely petaled and arranged in a cluster, set against a background of green foliage and more blooming dahlias. The garden scene is lush and vibrant. — Photo Courtesy of **Busy Bee Farm and Florals**

2. Wizard of Oz

A smaller dahlia variety with pink and white petals and a yellow centre. They look beautiful in wedding bouquets.

A close-up of a pink Wizard of Oz dahlia flower in full bloom with an ant on its petals. The background features green foliage and another pink dahlia flower out of focus.

3. Arabian Night

Arabian Night is one of the first dahlias to bloom in the summer. I also found it to be more resistant to thrips than my other varieties.

Three red Arabian Night dahlia flowers in bloom with one bud are seen growing in a garden with green foliage and a wooden fence in the background. The flowers are vibrant and sharply contrasted against the blurred background of leaves, adding depth to the image.

Alternatively, you can also grow Groovy, which functions similarly but with a rustier red hue. I don’t have the best luck with dahlias, but Groovy always blooms for me and is super prolific.

A vibrant red Groovy dahlia flower in full bloom is surrounded by lush green leaves. The flower has multiple layers of petals and is the focal point of the image, set against a natural garden background with soil visible at the base.

4. Peaches n Cream

This variety is so gorgeous but probably one of the most expensive dahlia tubers you can grow, ranging from $15-$20 a tuber. (That’s the price for one tuber, not a clump of tubers!) I’ve personally decided not to invest in them and have found other blush alternatives to use in my arrangements.

A field of Peaches N Cream dahlias in full bloom on a sunny day. The background is filled with more dahlias and trees under a clear sky.

My dupe, which is a little less expensive, is Tangerine Dream. It doesn’t have quite the same allure as Peaches N Cream, but it will undoubtedly save you a few dollars!

A close-up of a blooming Tangerine Dream dahlia flower held by hand. The flower has layers of soft pink petals with hints of yellow and red near the center. The background is blurred and light-colored, making the flower stand out prominently. Green leaves are visible in the backdrop.

5. Cafe Au Lait

Cafe au Lait is the original must-have dahlia for flower growers. It also comes in other variations, such as Rose and Royal, which are equally beautiful!

A large, cream-colored Cafe au Lait dahlia flower is surrounded by green foliage and deep purple amaranth flowers. The dahlia's petals are densely layered and radiate outward. The composition is artistically arranged on a white surface.

6. Castle Drive

Castle Drive will always and forevermore have a place in my garden. It’s a good producer for me, and this year, when I tried to take cuttings, it was one of the first varieties to wake up. I was able to get a successful cutting from it, even though not all varieties were so favourable.

A hand holding three light pink Castle Drive dahlias with yellow centers against a white textured background. The flowers are in full bloom, showcasing their intricate petal formation and subtle color gradients. Green leaves and stems are visible beneath the blossoms.

7. Jowey Winnie

Jowey Winnie is one of those beautiful, muted, complex colours. Is it purple? Pink? Hints of coral? Whatever it is, it’s beautiful and blends seamlessly with other colours in the arrangement.

Bright pink Jowey Winnie dahlias with round, layered petals bloom among lush green foliage in a garden. Some buds are still closed, indicating more flowers to come. The background displays additional dahlias and greenery, creating a vibrant and colorful scene. — Photo Courtesy of **Sarah’s Cut Flowers**

8. American Dawn

I fell in love with this dahlia variety this year (in 2022). And even more so after I set it out on my porch and saw it last for ten days with zero extra love and attention. No replacing the water. No anything. It just survived on its own!

A vibrant bouquet featuring a large, striking pink American Dawn dahlia at its center, surrounded by an assortment of flowers and greenery including purple statice, pink snapdragons, and a variety of leaves and stems. The colors blend harmoniously, creating a lively floral display.

9. Sylvia

A small yellowy/peach variety that looks elegant in fall arrangements.

A field of vibrant orange and yellow Sylvia dahlias blooming under a clear blue sky. Lush green foliage surrounds the flowers, and trees are visible in the distance, creating a scenic and colorful landscape.

10. Linda’s Baby

I would argue that Linda’s Baby is almost as standard among dahlia growers as Cafe Au Lait. It is a must-have in your garden!

Close-up of a vibrant, multi-petaled coral Linda's Baby dahlia in full bloom. The flower's intricate layers of petals are tightly packed, creating a captivating spiral pattern. Surrounding it are green leaves, with hints of other flowers in the background.

Honourable Mention: Megan Dean

Megan Dean is a beautiful lavender colour, and I think lavender will be really popular in the coming year! It’s the perfect variety for what I believe will be the “It Girl” palette of 2025.

Close-up of a lavender-coloured Megan Dean dahlia flower in full bloom, surrounded by green foliage. The background shows more dahlias and an open field under a hazy sky.

A Note About Unicorn Varieties

What makes a unicorn?

A unicorn dahlia is one of those dahlia varieties that is either hard to find or highly sought after. They can be hard to find because they’re not always good tuber producers, so if you lose your tubers over the winter, that variety will be even rarer. The other reason a dahlia variety might be a unicorn is that someone might have recently bred it. Therefore, it doesn’t really exist that much in the world yet. Especially if it’s being bred in a different country than your own, it might take a while for you to be able to get that variety over the border for your own garden. One or two growers might decide to bring that dahlia in, but they’ll have to pay for a Phytosanitary Certificate, which is a very expensive process. So, if you’re going to buy a dahlia from them, it might be like $30-$40 per tuber to recover that cost that they had to spend!

Unicorn Breeders

Coseytown, Kristine Albrecht, Paul Bloomquist, Floret Farms, and Triple Wren are all companies that are more likely to have unicorn varieties. This article by Anne Helen Peterson explains things very well if you want to go deeper into this topic! As a flower grower, you can decide where you are in your journey and if you value these unicorn varieties enough to go after them for your own cutting garden or if you’re just in a place where you feel more like, “Meh, I’m not going to bother with unicorns.” This year, in 2024, I set at least 3 or 4 alarms just to get specialty dahlia varieties from Floret Farms. There is a reason people call it the Dahlia Wars when these unicorn varieties go on sale!

A woman with long brown hair wearing a white dress and cardigan stands in a green garden holding a bucket filled with various colorful dahlias. The background is lush with greenery and flowering plants.

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