Inviting Pollinators into your Dahlia Garden

So I’ll be honest, dahlias aren’t the first flower to come to mind when I think of blooms to attract pollinators. Usually it’s salvias, nicotiana, alyssum, yarrow and wilder looking plants. However there are some types of dahlias that work really well as pollinator attracting plants.

Anemone and collarette types will bring the bees into your garden. For a plant to attract pollinators, having an open center is an easy access method for bees to find pollen. Anemone dahlias have a large fluffy center full of pollen. Collarettes also have an open center that’s easy access.

I’ve been experimenting this year and grew Sandia Brocade (Anemone type) in the middle of all my cut flower dahlias. I haven’t been harvesting it like a cut flower so every bud has been able to open. I’ve been deadheading after I see the bloom has been pollinated. I don’t want seed heads to form because I want it to keep blooming as long as possible so I just keep deadheading.

Sandia Brocade in my Dahlia Field

Sandia Brocade is really the first dahlia like this that I’ve grown. But I have to say - I’m hooked! I love watching the sleepy bees early in the morning. I’m going to start growing more- just for fun! These types don’t always make great cut flowers- their vase life is pretty short. But they are worth it for their pollinator attraction value!

I wanted to find more varieties that worked well in a hot climate so of course I turned to my dahlia sister- Lori of Broad River Blooms. I know she loves these types and has grown a lot of them. Huge thank you to her for sharing some of her favorites! (She sells tubers of these too— sign up for her tuber sale email here.)

Platinum Blonde- Anemone type (Photo by Lori at Broad River Blooms)

Waltzing Matilda- (Photo by Lori at Broad River Blooms) Look at that color!!

Bloomquist Golden (Photo by Lori at Broad River Blooms) Non stop bloomer!

Dad’s Favorite (Photo by Lori at Broad River Blooms) Excellent Butterfly attractor

Claire De Lune (Photo by Lori at Broad River Blooms) I think this one is my favorite and is going on my must have list for next year!

I’m definitely making plans for more of these next year! I can’t wait to see all the beautiful pollinators they attract. I’ll be hitting up Lori’s tuber sale for sure!

Names from left to right: Bloomquist Sweet, Asahi Chohji, Ferncliff Dolly, April Heather, Pooh