The Best Dahlias for Cut Flowers: 5 Must-Grow Varieties Your First Season
Dahlias are loved by gardeners, flower farmers, and customers for good reason. Their variety of colors and shapes, along with their ability to thrive in late summer and fall, make them a popular choice for cut flowers. Whether you're just starting out or growing your farm, dahlias bring beauty and reliability to the table.
If you’re like most new growers, you picture rows of colorful dahlias in full bloom or buckets of freshly harvested stems ready to sell. And with the right varieties, this can be your reality in your first season.
And that’s what this article is all about— helping you choose the right varieties. We’re diving into dahlia cultivation to look at five must-grow varieties that will set you up for success. While rare and extravagant options might catch your eye, we’ll focus on varieties that are not only stunning but also reliable and productive. Let’s get started by exploring why choosing the right dahlias is so important for a strong first season.
Prioritizing Abundant Blooms: Why It Matters
In your first season as a flower farmer, setting the stage for success is all about prioritizing the right flower varieties. The same is true with dahlias. It can be so easy to scroll through dahlia sellers’ websites and want to buy every beautiful variety you see. But let’s be real—you probably don’t have the time, space, or budget to buy all those tubers.
So how do you decide which varieties are the best options? My best advice is to select varieties that are easy to grow, can be grown in a smaller space, and most importantly, are prolific bloomers. Your first year should be dedicated to efficiency, and trust me, having a few heavy-producing dahlia varieties is going to make you a lot happier than a bunch of one-off untrustworthy bloomers.
Practicality First: Which Dahlia Types to Avoid
While those dinnerplate dahlia varieties might seem like a dream—don’t get me wrong, they ARE beautiful—they can quickly turn into a new flower farmer's nightmare. These blooms, while stunning, don’t produce many blooms and often require more care and attention. From staking to keeping them upright, their demands can sometimes overshadow their beauty. Plus, the flowers themselves are so large, they can be difficult to put into standard arrangements or market bouquets.
Similarly, rare varieties might seem exciting to grow on your flower farm, but they can also bring along a learning curve. My advice: Don’t buy them. Wait until you’ve got a few years under your belt to give rare varieties a shot. These rarities are often expensive and come with unique care needs that can be challenging to meet because they tend to be high-maintenance.
Need a little help beating temptation? Let yourself buy one or two dahlias that you just can’t let yourself go without so you can personally enjoy them without letting yourself get too carried away with blooms you actually want to sell.
My Favorites: The Must-Grow Dahlia Varieties for Beginners
There are 42 species of dahlias and literally hundreds of hybrids, so I get that it can still be overwhelming to find the best options, even with the advice I’ve given so far. That’s why I want to share my absolute favorite varieties and what I love about them.
Cornel
A timeless classic, Cornel dahlias are a ball-type dahlia with a beautiful deep red color. This reliable bloomer has won many awards and is considered by many growers to be a must-have. And I have to agree! With their straightforward care requirements, they're an excellent choice for those new to flower farming.
For a twist on the classic Cornel, consider the Cornel Bronze variety as well. This dahlia stands out with its stunning orange tones and nearly perfect form. Its stems are long and strong and any new flower farmer can’t go wrong with growing it.
Another reason I love these two varieties is because they are great tuber producers, meaning one tuber will grow many new tubers in a single season. So you can have more dahlias for yourself or to sell the following year.
Clearview Peachy
I can’t believe I’m going to say this but if I could only grow one dahlia, it would be Clearview Peachy. She is that good. Her ombre peachy hues, crazy long and perfectly straight stems, abundant flower production, excellent tuber yield, and ability to store well over the winter make her a standout. I told you… she’s good.
Snoho Doris
With 4-5" peachy-pink blooms, this ball dahlia offers a profusion of blossoms on sturdy, straight stems. No matter how many blooms I harvest, Snoho Doris continuously produces.
Peaches n’ Cream
My fifth pick was a toss-up between Peaches n’ Cream and Jowey Winnie. Jowey Winnie is one of my all-time favs, but since it’s so similar in color to Clearview Peachy, I’m going with Peaches n’ Cream. She IS worthy of all the hype. Her unmatched color continuously captivates, her arching petals and ideal size make her perfect for market bouquets and she’s a prolific bloomer. But on the downside, the Japanese beetles absolutely love her. To prevent damage, I keep her blooms covered in organza bags. It’s a bit of extra work, but she’s worth it.
These varieties are not only beautiful, but also offer an excellent starting point for your flower farming journey. With their reliability and prolific blooms, you'll be well on your way to creating arrangements that are bursting with life and color.
Once you start growing dahlias, there’s no going back. They’re one of the top flower types for so many growers and one of the most sought-after by buyers. And if you’re ready to double down on dahlias and take your farm to the next level, check out Dahlias for Profit. In this guide, I share multiple ways to generate revenue from dahlias, including a behind-the-scenes look at dahlia tuber sales, tips for growing them successfully, and strategies to maximize your income. Our farm generates 6-figures from dahlias, and I’m showing you exactly how we do it—no guesswork required. Dahlias aren’t just beautiful; they’re a game-changer for your business.
I hope these recommendations give you a good starting point when you’re dahlia shopping. I know you can’t go wrong with this list of best dahlias for cut flowers.
Be sure to check out my other blogs, How to Make the Biggest Profit from Dahlias on Your Flower Farm and Are Dahlia Tuber Sales Worth It?, for even more insights into maximizing your dahlia revenue and deciding if tuber sales are right for your farm.