skip to main content

Dahlia perennial zone 5?

10 years ago

My mother in law has several flowers she swears are dahlias that come back every year on their own. They are gorgeous and look like dahlias to me but I have been told again and again by our local nursery that they are annuals, not perennials. Does anyone know of a dahlia variety that would be a perennial in zone 5? Or does anyone know of a type of flower that may look like a dahlia and is a perennial, not an annual? Thank you for your help!

Megan

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (2)

steve22802
10 years ago
Dahlias are perennials, they are just not very hardy perennials. It is possible that your mother in law has a dahlia that survives the winter. Is it planted against a south facing wall? Is it mulched heavily and kept dry over the winter? The main issues with overwintering dahlias are soil moisture level and frost penetration depth. If the ground is kept dry and frost free at the tuber depth then a dahlia should survive the winter regardless of your climate zone. If the soil is very dry it is more difficult for frost to penetrate than if their is moisture in the soil. I would expect that in much of Utah there would be very dry soil.in winter which would help insulate the tubers. A thick layer of snow that is on the ground continuously during the coldest months would act as an insulator too.
0
gardenper
10 years ago
If you can have a picture of the plant, that will help confirm if it is a dahlia and possibly even its variety.

As for what works and what doesn't, others in my region also say that dahlias should be brought in for the winter, but I have had 2 years of dahlias returning from being in pots. This year, maybe the winter was too rough or perhaps last year's growing season was not good enough for them, but they did not return. However, the dahlias I had in the ground are back, so I suspect it was a container issue (I also lost 3 amaryllis bulbs in the similar way -- all the ones in pots are gone but the ones in ground are OK)
0
Related Discussions
Dark Orange Perennials for zone 5
Q
Comments (21)
Gottagarden, on the Tithonia, I'd give it another try. Most varieties are 4' - 6' tall, but there's also a couple of compact varieties that are in the 2' - 3' range. They should start blooming by late July, but they are also drought tolerant, so if you've had a wet summer, that might explain why it's not doing well. Oh, and the Achillea 'Terra Cotta' starts out a burnt orange color, then fades to the dusky gold color, so there will be a blend of orange and gold when it's in bloom that would work really well in that bed. Just my 2 cents : ) Bonnie Here is a link that might be useful: Tithonia @ Swallowtail Garden Seeds
...See More
Agastache Blue Fortune a REAL perennial in zone 5a?
Q
Comments (8)
I only grow Agastache foeniculum Ã¢ÂÂGolden JubileeÃ¢ÂÂ but it's not only reliably hardy where I am, it generously self-seeds in my garden beds. The Missouri Botanical Garden lists 'Blue Fortune' as hardy to Z5 and I find the information at their website to be pretty accurate (see link). Agastache is in the mint family, as is Monarda/bee balm. Feel the stems--they're square. Mint is generally considered a pretty tough perennial. Here is a link that might be useful: Missouri Botanical Garden
...See More
WHEN will my dahlias flower??? zone 5
Q
Comments (1)
Timing depends on the bloom size and overall condition of each plant. It's possible watering/fertilizing conditions aren't right, or that you have a larger bloom size. We are in similar zones, and only 1 out of 5 of my three-four foot plants are blooming right now. Normally, I start getting a few blooms mid-July with heavier blooming mid-August and the best blooming displays by late August- mid September. This is an average based on several hundred varieties, of all types. Patience. They will get there.
...See More
leaving dahlias in ground- zone 5
Q
Comments (10)
Three things have been found to be successful in overwintering dahlias in the ground above zone 7. Luck (mild weather, hearty tubers, etc.) 2. Mulch (protect ground from freezing down to the clump) 3. Tarping (keep moisture from sitting in the soil, rotting tubers) I've had clumps survive winters in 5/6 (never the ones I had hoped would survive, though), during mild winters and no added mulch or tarping. I haven't bothered prepping for clumps overwintering in the ground, as they optimally need to be dug and divided yearly, anyhow. Mammoth multi-year clumps are scary, often needing pickaxes or chainsaws to divide, with a large loss of tubers. The blooms often start to under-perform after a few years, as well. Each to their own. Try it, and let us know how it worked out for you. Cheers!
...See More

Related Stories

FLOWERS Great Design Plant: Dahlias

By J. Peterson Garden Design

Pick this flamboyant stunner for its amazing array of colors and faces, fast growth and sizes that can fill a pot or a whole garden

SUMMER GARDENING 6 Water-Wise Perennials for Blazing High-Altitude Summers

By Jocelyn H. Chilvers

Scorching weather and high elevations don't have to mean scraggly plantings. These blooms are as gorgeous as they are tough

GARDENING GUIDES Top 12 Summer-Blooming Perennials for Deer-Resistant Drama

Can you have garden color, fragrance and exciting foliage with hungry deer afoot? These beauties say yes

PRODUCT PICKS Guest Picks: 20 Gorgeous Perennials to Plant Now

By The Estate of Things

Take advantage of warm spring weather to create a colorful garden with blooming plants, succulents and ornamental grasses

GARDENING GUIDES 10 Cold- and Heat-Tolerant Perennials and Shrubs for the Arid West

By Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting

These flowering native plants shrug off the cold of winter and heat of summer while adding beauty to the drought-tolerant landscape

GARDENING GUIDES 6 Lovely Water-Wise Perennials for High Altitudes

By Jocelyn H. Chilvers

Even if your climate is cold and dry, you can still celebrate spring with these hardy and colorful perennials

GARDENING GUIDES 8 Perennials for Great Fall Color

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

Trees haven't cornered the market on autumn splendor. Add these flowering perennials for a foliage sight to behold

SUMMER GARDENING 10 Perennials to Extend Your Garden's Summer Color

By LuAnn Brandsen

Revive summer-weary gardens with outstanding late bloomers such as toad lily, Russian sage, blanket flower and more

GARDENING GUIDES 5 Great Plants for Borders and Screens

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

Get the effects of a shrub but in less time — and drawing more winged pollinators — with these herbaceous perennials

GARDENING GUIDES Pacific Northwest Gardener's August Checklist

By Genevieve Schmidt

Deadheading perennials, cutting raspberry canes and preparing for the onion harvest keeps Northwest gardeners busy in August

Sponsored

Fourteen Thirty Renovation, LLC

23 Reviews

Professional Remodelers in Franklin County Specializing Kitchen & Bath

More Discussions

Can I start Dahlias inside in cardboard boxes instead of pots?

6