The popular cultivar of the Dahlia genus is Apple Blossom Dahlia that is adored for its lovely buttercream flowers with rose-pink hints. This plant is grown widely as a houseplant in the home garden and patios. You can also grow it indoors in planters. Another fact that confirms the beauty and popularity of this plant is that its dazzling flowers are also used in wedding bouquets.
Common Names
- Collarette Dahlia
Classification
- Family: Asteraceae
- Subfamily: Asteroidea
- Genus: Dahlia
- Cultivar: Apple Blossom ‘Dahlia’
About the Genus Dahlia
This genus involves herbaceous, tuberous, and perennial plants. The species of this genus are native to Central America and Mexico. Some popular species of the genus Dahlia are chrysanthemum, daisy, and sunflower.
Origin and Distribution
This cultivar of the Asteraceae family was hybridized by Kordonowy in 1986. This houseplant is commonly found in Tennessee, Washington, Fairview, and Vancouver.
Apple Blossom Dahlia Features
Foliage and Stem
This plant has small leaves growing along the multiple stems. These leaves grow in rows and surround the big flowers. It has long, slender stems that arch outwards at the top.
Flowers
It has beautiful, white, collarette flowers having a shade of pink at the base of their petals. The center of the flower has yellow disc floral buds. Each bloom is 4 to 6 inches in diameter. The mesmerizing and pleasing flowers are the real beauty of this plant.
Evergreen
This is an evergreen, flowering plant whose foliage remains fresh, green, and functional throughout the year. It does not lose its leaves all at once in autumn. It only sheds leaves that are old and dry enough to hold.
Height
This adorable species has an average houseplant height. It attains a maximum height of 1 meter. It is an ideal height for garden plants. You can also grow it indoors in a bright corner from where it will be visible to every space.
Temperature Tolerance
This plant cannot tolerate excessive heat or excessive cold. It likes warmer temperatures. Not being frost-hardy, this plant does not like to be placed outside during chilly weather. You can grow it in your home garden during summers but move it indoors during winters.
Humidity Tolerance
Maintaining the right humidity is important for the lush growth of Apple Blossom. If the humidity falls below a certain level, its tubers dry out and weaken the plant. If the humidity increase above the adequate level, its tubers will get moldy. Both conditions are not preferred for their proper growth. This is why always keep the moisture level in check.
Drought Resistance
This plant does not do well with droughts and times of low water availability. It needs to be watered at the right time. In the days of rainfalls or colder days, you can cut down its watering, but do not leave your plant thirst otherwise.
Disease and Pest Resistance
Some fungal diseases affect this Apple Blossom. The one to name is powdery mildew. The plant gets this disease if its foliage stays damp and moist all the time. In case your plant gets this fungal disease, spray it with a fungicide or rub its foliage with a cotton swab dipped in neem oil.
Slugs are another problem for this pretty species. You can use a slug bait to keep the crawling slugs at bay.
Growth
It is a fast-growing species that grows new buds and leaves every now and then. After planting this beaut, you will see blooms in about 8 weeks maximum. New leaves and new buds will keep growing after every week or two.
The ideal USDA plant hardiness growth zones for this plant are 8 and above.
Toxicity
This pretty plant is slightly toxic due to phototoxic polyacetylene compounds. This compound can cause skin irritation. You should wear gloves while handling its parts while re-potting. Ingesting its parts in large amounts is also harmful to health. Keep your nibbling pets and children away from it.
Durability
Apple Blossom Dahlia is a beautiful, durable plant that lives for quite years. If you take good care of it, it will survive for a surprisingly long time. The secret ingredient for increasing its lifespan is correct watering schedule is correct light exposure.
Maintenance
This gorgeous is a low-maintenance, easy-to-grow plant. If you know the basics for growing a plant, you can grow an Apple Blossom Dahlia without any problem. The only maintenance it requires is a little pruning and grooming at the beginning of the growing season.
Dormancy
The winter dormancy of this plant is inevitable. Every winter, its growth slows down to almost nothing. Its roots and leaves start to conserve food and nutrients. The foliage goes into a resting period till the beginning of next season. There is no need of fertilizing the plant during this dormancy period.
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Apple Blossom Dahlia Care
Apple Blossom Dahlia care involves watering it twice or thrice every week and misting it frequently. It should be grown in acidic soil with pH 5.0-7.0. It grows best in full sun and high humidity. The humidity must be around 75-85%. It should be fertilized every 3-4 weeks with liquid fertilizer. Its growth zones are 8 and above.
Water Requirements
This pretty plant should be watered 2 to 3 times every week. The key rule for its watering schedule is to check the dryness of the soil. You should allow the soil to dry a little between waterings to save the apple blossom dahlia tubers from rotting. This plant may need extra watering on hotter days. You can overflow the plant with water as long as an excess of it is draining out of the pot. Never over-water your Apple Blossom.
Soil Requirements
This plant does not fuss over soil type. It grows well in well-drained, fertile soil. Acidic soil is a plus point. The pH level of its growing medium must be maintained between 5.0 and 7.0. This Dahlia species thrives in organic soil. You can add rotted manure to its soil from time to time for replenishing the nutrients.
Sunlight
Apple Blossom Dahlia loves full sun. They thrive in 6 to 8 hours of sunlight exposure. However, they also grow perfectly fine in partial shade as long as the morning sun shines upon them. With that being said, you can place your Apple blossom plant in an east-facing window, where it will be safe from the hot afternoon sun. Its sunlight requirements also depend on the region in which you are living. If you live in a hotter climate, you should not grow this plant outdoors; hot sunrays will scorch your Dahlia.
Temperature Requirements
This stunning species from the Asteraceae family is not frost-hardy. It must be grown in a growth zone where the temperature never falls below 12°C. A warmer spot is necessary for this plant to bloom. Living in the growth zone of 8 and growing this plant outdoors is not a very good combination. You should move your Dahlia plant indoors during freezing temperatures so that it does not get chilly injuries.
Humidity
The ideal humidity for this plant is 75%-85%. If you are growing it in a warmer spot, its humidity requirement increases. If you have placed it in a spot with a cooler temperature, it will require relatively less humidity. You have to regulate the moisture level depending on the situation. You can increase the humidity by sprinkling the foliage with a sprayer. If you place this plant in a group with other plants, the moisture level around them will automatically increase. You can try this method for regulating humidity instead of installing a humidifier.
Fertilizer
Apple Blossom Dahlia is a foodie in the growing season. It needs fertilizer every 3-4 weeks. The best fertilizer that you can add to its soil is the liquid fertilizer, but make sure it has a lesser nitrogen concentration than the other fertilizers. If the plant has more than the necessary amount of nitrogen in its soil, it may die surprisingly quickly! Over-feeding should also be avoided. If you are over-fertilizing it, this plant will have weak tubers or little blooms. In some cases, it does not bloom at all!
Grooming and Pruning
You will be doing a favor to your Apple Blossom Dahlia by pruning it before the growing season. Cutting back the overgrown branches and old blooms let the new growth breathe. You will be proving enough space for its growth. If you cut back some of its blooms at the point of stem attachment, new buds will grow in a week or two.
Re-potting
You can re-pot this plant after a year or two. It needs re-potting if it has outgrown its present pot. Always re-pot your Apple Blossom in a pot 2 inches bigger than the previous one. Ideally, you can use a 10 inches pot. Once you move this plant to a new pot, you can add a little humic acid to its soil to regulate the soil’s acidity. You can also add cow dung compost, neem cake, and coco peat to increase the soil’s fertility.
Propagation
This beautiful species with pretty flowers add beauty to any space. Who would not want to increase their collection of this stunning houseplant? You can fill up your home garden with colors by dividing a single Apple Blossom plant. You can propagate this plant through the following easy steps:
- Before the growing season, take a healthy Apple Blossom plant.
- Remove it from its pot and brush off any excess soil.
- Take a sharp blade and sterilize it.
- Cut off any broken or rotted tubers.
- Divide the plant into two.
- Both parts must have tubers; otherwise, your plant will not grow.
- Move the mother plant and the divided one to separate pots.
- Add soil and little fertilizer.
- Water it and place it in a bright spot where it receives full sun.
Summary
Apple Blossom ‘Dahlia’ is an exquisite species of the Asteraceae family. It is a low-maintenance, easy-to-grow plant that can be grown indoors as well as outdoors. The striking flowers make this plant a great addition to home decorations. If you are not so good at growing plants, this beauty is a good choice as it can easily be grown without any fuss and hassle!
