Best New Dahlias

One-of-a-kind introductions that offer a variety of blooms and sizes.

- LUKE MILLER

HARDINESS INFO Dahlias, including Redwood Honeybee, are hardy in Zones 8 to 11, which means tubers can stay in the ground over winter.

1 Redwood Honeybee

The 5-inch blooms of Redwood Honeybee are a blend of yellow and pinkish orange. It starts blooming around eight to 10 weeks after planting and continues to flower until a killing frost if deadheaded. This cultivar stands tall in the garden, with stalks growing up to 6 feet tall.

Why we love it: The plant is always decorated by half a dozen blooms at a time, which make excellent cut flowers.

2 KA's Papa John

Named after the plant's creator, KA's Papa John is an award winner and has some of the highest scores in trial gardens across the U.S. and Canada. It's an impressive specimen with great form, a large size and a bounty of huge, pure white blooms. The flower heads can measure a colossal 8 to 10 inches in diameter.

Why we love it: The wavy petals and bright white color make the blooms almost look like a bowl of soft serve vanilla ice cream.

3 Oldoc Combustion

This orchid-type dahlia stands 5 to 7 feet tall, and the 2- to 3-inch star-shaped blooms are a favorite of monarch butterflies. Its name comes from the fiery effect of the flowers and the fact that the hybridizer (the person who bred the plant) is a practicing veterinarian with a few years under his belt.

Why we love it: The curl and colors of the flower, yellow in the front and red in the back, lend it a flamelike appearance.

WHERE TO BUY Because these dahlias are fresh releases, they might not be available in garden centers. To add these beauties to your garden, look online. The tuberous roots ship well and can be planted in spring. Go to dahlia.org for more new plants and ideas.