'Café au Lait' Dahlia
Best choice for gardeners seeking dramatic, romantic blooms for late-season displays.
The 'Café au Lait' Dahlia is a premier choice for late-season blooms, offering massive, soft pink flowers that mature with beautiful color transitions. These sun-loving perennials thrive in full sun and rich, moist soil, providing continuous color from midsummer until the first fall frost. They are exceptionally versatile, perfect for adding dramatic height and color to garden borders or cottage garden settings. Gardeners in colder climates can dig up the tuberous roots for overwintering, ensuring these romantic blooms return year after year.
$17.99
Owner Satisfaction
4.6
/ 5
Category Rank
717
/ 3088
#717 in Plant & Flower Bulbs
Price vs Category Average
-24%
Below average
Botanical name
'Café au Lait' Dahlia
/ 'Café au Lait' Dahlia
Who it's for
- Floral designers seeking elegant, neutral color palettes
- Gardeners wanting high-impact, show-stopping focal points
- Cut flower enthusiasts needing long-lasting, sturdy stems
Who should skip it
- Gardeners preferring low-maintenance, hands-off plant support
- Busy homeowners avoiding seasonal digging and winter storage
- Casual gardeners wanting pest-free, low-effort blooms
Performance breakdown
Bloom Impact
Massive dinnerplate-sized flowers create an immediate, high-drama focal point.
Seasonal Longevity
Provides consistent, reliable color from midsummer straight through the first frost.
Floral Versatility
Stunning stems make these a top-tier choice for fresh cut arrangements.
Climate Adaptability
Thrives in warm zones but requires extra effort for winter storage.
Pollinator Appeal
Actively invites bees and butterflies to your garden throughout the season.
Maintenance Effort
Requires regular watering and seasonal lifting in colder northern climates.
Key Specs
Botanical name
'Café au Lait' Dahlia
Common names
Dinnerplate, Informal, Decorative, Dahlia
Hardiness Zones
8-10 (Lift tubers in zones 3-7)
Mature Height
3-4 ft
Mature Width
1-2 ft
Bloom Size
8-10 inches
Sun Exposure
Full Sun (6+ hours)
Bloom Season
Summer through Fall
Features
- Produces extravagant, romantic blooms.
- Unique color shifts on the same plant.
- Tuberous roots for overwintering.
- Heat tolerant and suitable for containers.
- Excellent as a cut flower.
- Attracts pollinators.
- Perennial growth habit.
- Large 8-10 inch blooms.
What customers say
Customers overwhelmingly adore the 'Café au Lait' Dahlia for its breathtaking beauty and unique coloration. The large, dinner plate blooms feature stunning creamy blush tones that perfectly match expectations, making them a garden centerpiece. Reviewers frequently commend the high quality of the tubers received, noting they were healthy, robust, and sprouted vigorously, indicating superior starting material. While the premium price point is occasionally mentioned as a concern, most experienced gardeners feel the spectacular, iconic blooms fully justify the investment. The prevailing sentiment is one of delight and high satisfaction with this coveted variety.
Know before you buy
These are considered 'dinnerplate' dahlias, producing impressive, extravagant blooms that typically measure between 8 and 10 inches in diameter.
If you live in USDA Hardiness Zones 8-10, you can leave the tubers in the ground year-round. In zones 3-7, you must dig up and store the tuberous roots in a cool, dry place once the first frost hits to ensure they survive the winter.
Yes, 'Café au Lait' dahlias are well-suited for containers. Ensure your pot is large enough to accommodate the root system and provides excellent drainage to keep the soil moist but not waterlogged.
These dahlias require full sun, which means at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day. Providing adequate light is essential for achieving their signature large, continuous blooms throughout the summer and fall.
No, the 'Café au Lait' Dahlia is not fragrant. They are primarily grown for their dramatic size, romantic color transitions, and their excellent performance as cut flowers in arrangements.
For optimal growth and air circulation, space your dahlia tubers 16 to 20 inches apart. This spacing allows the plants to reach their mature width of 1 to 2 feet without overcrowding.
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