Re: tree dahlia?

You will probably get a better idea of how much water it needs in your situation if you inspect the plant as it grows in your neighbor's garden.  I have been using this plant for years here in the SF Bay Area, and in our conditions, with clay loam soils and no Santa Ana type winds, it is a moderate water lover, but the more water you can give it, the better it looks.  One thing I would say is never plant this where it will be subject to strong winds, as the foliage and tall stalks just don't hold up to them.  It may also be important to know that it only blooms facing the sun, so plant it where you can enjoy the flowers if this is important.  I'd suggest that it looks best in a protected spot against a 2 story house wall, or with a background of evergreen trees such as pines, and looks stunning planted on hillsides.  My plants get by with just twice weekly watering in summer, but we don't get hot winds or much hot weather here.

As you have said that parts of your garden get severe frost, don't plant this where it will drop below freezing any earlier than mid to late November if you want to see the flowers.  Blooming here in northern California can last into January or even February if there haven't been strong rain storms and winds to end the season.  My plants usually get about 15 to 18 feet tall by the time they bloom for Thanksgiving, and the rains and winds have usually ended the show by New Year's Eve.

In my opinion, the double white flowered form is a complete waste of time, and the new shoots(of all types) as they come up in spring are prime snail food, so bait for them.  This isn't a problem later in the season, as the plant is more vigorous and less attractive to mollusks.


--- On Mon, 1/12/09, N Sterman <TalkingPoints@plantsoup.com> wrote:

> From: N Sterman <TalkingPoints@plantsoup.com>
> Subject: tree dahlia?
> To: "Medit-Plants Plants" <medit-plants@ucdavis.edu>
> Date: Monday, January 12, 2009, 9:28 AM
> I have been offered a tree dahlia from a friend's
> garden.  I've never  
> grown them before so I looked them up and they appear to be
> rather  
> thirsty plants but I may still give it a try.
> 
> Any words of experience or advice?
> 
> Nan
> 
> 
> 
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> TalkingPoints@PlantSoup.Com
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