Name: ‘Smokey Amethyst’ Dahlia Mix
Brand: Van Noort
SKU: VAN-348-190-01
Price: 22.99 CAD
Availability: InStock

Sale Sold out

‘Smokey Amethyst’ mix displaying fully double decorative dahlias with neatly layered petals

Tuber Asteraceae

Ornamental bulbs

Van Noort

Dahlia pinnata

From bulb to bloom

Common name‘Smokey Amethyst’ dahlia mix

FamilyAsteraceae

GenusDahlia

Speciespinnata

CultivarSmokey Amethyst

Bulb typeRacines tubéreuses de dahlia

Botanical nameDahlia pinnata

Quantity per pack3 tubercules

Bulb sizeNo 1

‘Smokey Amethyst’ Dahlia Mix (Dahlia) combines three No. 1 grade decorative dahlia tubers in an amethyst palette. Some flowers carry intensely deep velvet-purple petals tipped in white, while others show lavender shades around dark purple centres. Florissa lists fully double flowers 10 to 15 cm across. Van Noort supplies three tubers and lists an established height of 70 cm, a spread of 50 cm, and upright growth. Bloom continues from midsummer until frost in the garden and in cut arrangements. Exact component cultivar names are not specified. Every package may show a naturally different balance between both flower styles.

Plant the tubers in spring after every danger of frost, where they receive at least six hours of sunlight. Set them approximately 10 to 15 cm deep in rich, loose, freely drained soil, then keep centres about 50 cm apart. Water lightly after planting and increase moisture as shoots develop without saturating the soil. Pinch young stems above three or four pairs of leaves to encourage branching. Low-nitrogen feeding, discreet support, and regular flower cutting sustain continuous production. Protect new growth from late frost, slugs, and strong winds while stems establish.

Harvest flowers when they are almost fully open because dahlias open little after cutting. Remove faded flowers as well to encourage new buds. After the first frost, cut the stems, lift tubers without injuring them, allow them to dry briefly, and store them in a dark, dry, frost-free location until spring. Inspect them monthly and discard soft tissue. Dahlias can cause mild gastrointestinal upset and mild skin irritation in cats and dogs. Keep plants, tubers, cut flowers, and debris inaccessible. Contact a veterinarian after ingestion or when a pet develops vomiting, diarrhea, excessive licking, or skin irritation.

Light and life cycle

In the garden

Exposure: Full sun
Life cycle: Perennial
Hardiness: Zone 10

Planting and establishment

Planting guide

Planting & establishment

Planting depth

15 cm

Spacing / density

space plants or bulbs 10 to 15 cm (4 to 6 in.).

Establishment temperature

Sol à environ 16 °C ou plus

Rooting time

Quelques semaines, selon la chaleur et les conditions de culture

Planting period

Printemps, après les dernières gelées

Propagation

Planting and division of tubers carrying a viable crown

Growing method

En pleine terre ou en grands contenants drainés, au soleil.

Soil and care

Soil & care

Soil pH

Neutral to slightly acidic

Moisture

Even moisture during growth; nearly dry storage

Minimum temperature

5 °C (41 °F)

Care level

Easy

Watering

Water lightly after planting so dormant tubers do not rot. Once shoots emerge, increase moisture gradually and keep soil evenly moist during growth and flowering. Water deeply at soil level once or twice weekly according to heat, rainfall, and soil type rather than sprinkling lightly every day. Containers dry faster and require regular checks. Reduce water after the first frost and keep tubers nearly dry during storage. Always avoid standing water. A thin organic mulch can reduce evaporation after the soil has warmed, but keep it away from the stems.

Soil type

Soil rich in organic matter, loose, and freely drained supports strong stems and extended flowering. It should retain even moisture during growth without remaining saturated after rain. Incorporate mature compost before planting and loosen compacted layers. A slightly acidic to neutral pH is suitable. In containers, use fertile airy potting mix in a drained pot. Avoid cold depressions, saturated clay, and sites where water gathers around the tubers. Mulch lightly only after the soil has warmed, keeping material away from emerging stems.

Fertilization

Incorporate mature compost before planting. When shoots reach 15 to 20 cm, apply balanced fertilizer or a formula slightly higher in phosphorus and potassium but low in nitrogen. Repeat lightly every three to four weeks until late summer, then stop so tubers mature before storage. Excessive nitrogen produces abundant leaves, fewer flowers, and weaker stems. In containers, water before feeding and periodically flush the potting mix. Always follow the label rate. A plant producing leaves but few buds usually needs more sun or less nitrogen rather than heavier feeding.

Seasonal care

In spring, inspect the tubers, remove soft tissue, and plant after the last frost in warmed soil. Water lightly until shoots emerge. When stems reach 25 to 30 cm, pinch them to encourage branching and install discreet support. In early summer, keep soil moist, feed lightly, and monitor slugs, snails, aphids, spider mites, and earwigs. During flowering, harvest fully open flowers, remove faded blooms weekly, and tie loaded stems. Avoid wetting leaves late in the evening. In late summer, stop feeding but continue watering according to weather. After the first frost, cut stems to 10–15 cm, label every clump, lift tubers with a fork, and allow them to dry briefly. Store them in slightly insulating material in a dark, ventilated, nearly dry place at approximately 5–10 °C. Inspect monthly, remove rotted tissue, and barely moisten the packing material only if tubers shrivel severely. Replant the following spring after frost danger passes. Keep stored material inaccessible to pets. During very hot periods, check containers daily and add thin mulch around plants in the ground without touching stems. After heavy rain, straighten supports and remove accumulated water. During storage, never seal damp tubers in a plastic bag. Gentle airflow limits condensation. If tissue must be cut away, let the wound dry before returning the clump to storage. Near the end of winter, prepare containers and potting mix before removing tubers, then gradually acclimate any shoots started indoors. Keep records of storage condition and discard a clump that becomes extensively soft rather than placing neighbouring tubers at risk.

Growing in containers

Container growing

Recommended pot size

Deep, very stable 40 to 50 L container

Choose a drained container at least 45 cm wide and deep for one plant; divide the three tubers among several pots to respect their 50 cm spread. Fill with fertile airy potting mix, set the tuber approximately 10 cm deep, and install support at planting time. Water lightly until shoots emerge, then keep the mix evenly moist without leaving water in the saucer. Position the pot in full sun and rotate it weekly. Pinch the young stem, feed with a low-nitrogen formula every three to four weeks, and cut flowers regularly. Protect the container from strong wind. After the first frost, cut the stems and move the pot to a cool frost-free place, or lift the tubers and store them nearly dry at 5–10 °C. In spring, renew the mix and replant only firm tubers carrying a viable crown. Keep containers and stored tubers inaccessible to pets. On a hot patio, protect the pot from heat reflected by walls and check moisture with a finger before watering. After a storm, inspect ties and straighten the support. If the clump completely fills the container, divide it in spring while retaining a viable crown portion with every section. Clean the pot before replanting and never combine the tubers with edible plants. Raise the container slightly so heavy rain can drain freely.

Growth and flowering

Size, flowering & harvest

Mature height

Environ 70 cm

Width / spread

Environ 50 cm par plant

Flower color

Purple, lavender, cream and bicolour

Foliage color

Green

Foliage type

Deciduous

Growth rate

Fast

Growth habit

Upright, branching, and bushy after pinching

Fragrance

Subtle fragrance

Bloom period

Flowering begins in midsummer and continues until frost when plants receive full sun and flowers are cut regularly. Fully double decorative blooms measure approximately 10 to 15 cm and combine velvet purple, lavender, deep purple, and white tips. Harvest them when almost fully open because dahlias open little after cutting. Remove faded flowers at their base without damaging neighbouring buds. Light feeding, consistent moisture, and adequate support sustain production. Flower count and colour balance vary naturally between the three tubers and growing conditions. Exact component cultivar names are not specified, so individual flower form may also differ slightly.

Harvest

Cut flowers early in the morning or evening when they are almost fully open and still firm. Use a clean tool, take a sufficiently long stem just above a node, and place it immediately in fresh water. Remove leaves below the waterline, recut the base, and replace the water every day or two. In autumn, harvest tubers after the first frost: label the clump, lift it with a fork, allow it to dry briefly, and store it nearly dry and frost-free. Keep flowers, vase water, and tubers inaccessible to cats and dogs. Discard any soft or badly damaged tuber tissue before storage.

Garden companions

Garden associations

Companion plants & uses

Companion plants

Combine ‘Smokey Amethyst’ with white cosmos, blue salvias, purple verbenas, cream zinnias, ageratum, and fine grasses. These plants appreciate sun and drained soil, while their colours emphasize the amethyst shades. Keep 50 cm around every dahlia and avoid very vigorous neighbours that deprive tubers of moisture. Arrange heights for airflow and preserve access to supports and cut flowers. No companion automatically prevents pests or neutralizes the mild toxicity of dahlias for pets. Choose verified non-toxic substitutions wherever animals can reach the planting.

Other recommended plants

Gaura blanc, sauge bleue et graminées argentées, dans un emplacement ensoleillé.

Garden use

Place ‘Smokey Amethyst’ in the middle of a sunny border, behind white cosmos and before light grasses that frame the flowers without hiding them. Set the three tubers with 50 cm between centres to create a coordinated group, and install discreet support at every position during planting. Pinch young stems to increase branching, then harvest fully open flowers two or three times weekly. Combine velvet purples with blue salvias, purple verbenas, and several cream zinnias to reinforce the amethyst palette. Preserve a route for watering at soil level, removing faded flowers, and lifting tubers. In large containers, dedicate one 45 cm pot to every plant. After the first frost, label every clump, lift it, and store it frost-free. Keep arrangements beyond the reach of animals. In a space accessible to cats or dogs that chew plants, choose a verified non-toxic alternative. Replant the labelled groups together the following spring to preserve the coordinated effect. To extend visual interest, add silver or purple foliage that remains attractive before the dahlias open. After a storm, inspect ties and remove broken stems promptly. Place a discreet label beside every crown so the mix remains identified during storage. Avoid areas where automatic irrigation keeps the soil saturated. Leave enough working space to lift each clump without damaging neighbouring roots.

Frequently asked questions

How should Smokey Amethyst dahlias be planted?

Plant all three tubers after the last frost where they receive at least six hours of sun. Choose rich, loose, freely drained soil. Examine every tuber to locate the crown carrying growth buds, then set it approximately 10 to 15 cm deep. Keep centres 50 cm apart and install support during planting. Water lightly, then increase moisture only after shoots emerge. At 25 to 30 cm tall, pinch the stem above three or four pairs of leaves to encourage branching. Keep soil moist without standing water and use low-nitrogen fertilizer. A separated tuber without a viable crown portion will not produce a plant. Mark every position so later cultivation does not damage new shoots or the underground clump.

When does Smokey Amethyst bloom?

Flowering begins in midsummer and continues until frost. The three tubers produce fully double 10 to 15 cm decorative flowers in velvet purple, lavender, deep purple, and white. Exact timing, stalk count, and colour balance vary with warmth, sunlight, moisture, fertilization, and every tuber’s vigour. To extend production, harvest flowers when almost fully open and remove faded blooms weekly. Keep soil moist, feed with a low-nitrogen formula, and support the stems. Exact component cultivar names are not specified, so natural variation should be expected. A newly planted tuber may begin later or produce fewer stems during its first establishment period than a well-stored, mature division.

How should the tubers be stored over winter?

After the first frost, cut stems to 10–15 cm and label every clump before lifting it carefully with a fork. Brush away dry soil without unnecessarily washing the tubers, remove soft tissue, and let the surface dry briefly. Place the tubers in slightly insulating material in a dark, ventilated, nearly dry, frost-free location, ideally around 5–10 °C. Inspect them monthly. Remove rot immediately with a clean tool and barely moisten the packing material only if tubers shrivel severely. In spring, replant after the last frost only firm divisions carrying a viable crown portion. Keep stored material inaccessible to pets because dahlias may cause mild digestive upset or irritation when chewed. Preserve labels so the coordinated mix can be replanted together.

Are Smokey Amethyst dahlias toxic?

Yes. The ASPCA classifies dahlias as toxic to cats, dogs, and horses. Exposure may cause mild gastrointestinal signs, including vomiting or diarrhea, together with mild skin irritation. Keep leaves, stalks, flowers, tubers, vase water, and debris inaccessible to animals. Do not allow a pet to dig near stored tubers, and place scraps in a closed waste container. After known or suspected ingestion, or when irritation appears, contact a veterinarian. This mix is sold as an ornamental product and exact cultivars are not listed; no part should be offered as food to a person or animal. Wash hands after handling damaged plant tissue. Choose a verified non-toxic alternative wherever access cannot be prevented.

How can more flowers be produced for cutting?

Place the dahlias in full sun, keep centres 50 cm apart, and pinch young stems at 25 to 30 cm tall to encourage several branches. Install supports early, keep soil evenly moist, and use low-nitrogen fertilizer every three to four weeks during active growth. Harvest flowers when almost fully open, early in the morning or evening, cutting each stem just above a node. Remove every faded flower weekly as well; each cut encourages the plant to form new buds. Avoid excessive nitrogen, shade, and dry periods. Replace vase water regularly and keep arrangements inaccessible to cats and dogs. Stop feeding in late summer so tubers can mature before frost and winter storage.

Wildlife and pets

Wildlife & precautions

Supporting wildlife

Fully double decorative dahlias may receive insects, but their densely filled centres are less accessible than single flowers. To provide more nectar and pollen, combine ‘Smokey Amethyst’ with cosmos, single zinnias, salvias, or ageratum. Avoid insecticides on open flowers and expect activity to vary with weather and nearby habitat. Insect visits do not prove safety for domestic animals.