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Dahlia 'Kaiser Wilhelm'

Dahlia 'Kaiser Wilhelm' Photo/Illustration: Scott Kunst



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Hardiness Zones: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
Botanical Name: Dahlia 'Kaiser Wilhelm' DAL-ee-ah Genus: Dahlia
Of the maybe 10,000 named dahlias introduced in the 1800s—when dahlias ranked right up there with roses in popularity—only three survive. One of them is 'Kaiser Wilhelm', introduced in 1892. Its 3-inch flowers have neatly curled petals of soft custard-yellow brushed with burgundy, and a green button eye just like that of an old rose. The plant can grow to 5 feet.
 Noteworthy characteristics: This is a tall heirloom dahlia.
 Care: Plant in well-drained, humus-rich soil in full sun. Fertilize weekly during growth. May need staking. Pinch, remove brandhes and buds, and deadhead to produce a lengthier flower display. Lift tubers in fall and store in a well-ventilated, frost-free location. Dahlias thrive in cool, moist climates.
 Propagation: Take basal shoot cuttings and root under plastic or a mist tent, with bottom heat, or divide clumps into two or more pieces, each with a shoot, and plant out after frost has passed.
 Problems: Aphids, stem borers, spider mites, caterpillars, earwigs, cucumber beetles, capsid bugs, flower thrips, planthoppers, slugs. Powdery mildew, impatiens necrotic spot, dahlia mosaic viruses, smut, fungal leaf spots, soft rot, crown gall, blossom blights (especially gray mold), and tomato spotted wilt virus.
Height 3 ft. to 6 ft.
Spread 1 ft. to 3 ft.
Growth Habit Clumps
Growth Pace Moderate Grower
Light Full Sun Only
Moisture Medium Moisture
Maintenance High
Characteristics Attracts Butterflies; Showy Flowers
Bloom Time Early Fall; Fall; Late Summer; Summer
Flower Color Green Flower; Red Flower; Yellow Flower
Uses Beds and Borders, Container, Cut Flower
Style Formal Garden
Seasonal Interest Summer Interest, Fall Interest
Type Perennials

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