Dahlia Nikolas Tesla
Dahlia Nikolas Tesla
Dahlia Nikolas Tesla
Dinnerplate dahlia, decorative dahlia
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Description
The Dahlia 'Nikolas Tesla" displays large heads filled with purple petals striped with lilac, on a vigorous young plant. Its long summer and autumn flowering, its vase life and its presence in a border are all qualities that will be appreciated in the garden or in a large pot. Its name pays homage to the inventor Nikola Tesla, an even more amusing wink as this cultivar is a spontaneous mutation of the excellent ‘Thomas Edison’, still prized for its large purple flowers.
Belonging to the Asteraceae family, ‘Nikolas Tesla’ is classified in the Decorative group of the Giant type of horticultural dahlias. It is a sport of ‘Thomas Edison’, introduced in 1929, from which it has inherited vigour, stature, form and head diameter. It differs by its magenta-violet petals, washed, striped or punctate with lilac.
The young plant forms a bushy, upright clump within a few weeks. It grows from a stump woody which each year produces thickened roots called tubercles. Its stems are thick, channelled, hollow in places, medium green to purplish-green depending on sunlight; they require staking in windy sites. The leaves are compound with ovate to lanceolate leaflets, with a dentate margin, of a bright green. Stems and leaves are destroyed by the first frost. The inflorescences in heads measure 20 to 25 cm in diameter, borne on sturdy peduncles; the ligules or petals are broad, rounded at the tip, arranged in several regular ranks, coloured purple to violet with stripes or speckles of lilac varying from one flower to another; flowering extends from July to October. In open ground, well managed, the young plant reaches 100–120 cm in height and 50–70 cm in spread; in a large pot (40 to 50 cm in diameter), the young plant will be less tall and its flowers will be slightly smaller.
Plant the dahlia 'Nikolas Tesla' at the back of a border in a rich, well-drained soil, in full sun, 40–60 cm from neighbouring plants and with a discreet stake. Water regularly without excess, add compost at the start, then pinch out the first buds to obtain stronger flowering shoots. You can combine it with ornamental grasses (Panicum virgatum ‘Northwind’), the tall clary sage and tall coneflowers like 'Magnus'. In a cut flower arrangement, pair it with white dahlias like Fleurel, pale pink ones like 'Melody Harmony' and purple ones like ‘Purple Gem’. Add some Gypsophila 'Snowflake' and Ammi visnaga 'The Giant', which lighten the display.
Plant habit
Flowering
Foliage
Botanical data
Dahlia
Nikolas Tesla
Asteraceae
Dinnerplate dahlia, decorative dahlia
Cultivar or hybrid
Planting and care
The decorative Dahlia 'Nikolas Tesla' can be planted once the last frosts have passed. For abundant flowering, plant the tubercles in full sun in rich, cool, well-drained soil. However, stagnant moisture would encourage the tubercles to rot. Do not hesitate to amend the soil with compost and sand if necessary. Work the soil deeply and enrich it, for example, with ground horn or dried blood.
Place your tubercle and crumble the soil well to fill in without air pockets. Your dahlia should be covered with about 6 cm of soil. At the end of planting, water thoroughly once and then repeat this watering regularly for the first 6 weeks to aid rooting. As soon as it is planted, consider staking. If the location is not sheltered, a bit windy (not too much if possible) or if it cannot lean against dense, sturdy neighbours, it is indeed preferable to support it. You can also pinch it as it develops to encourage it to become ramified.
Dahlias are sensitive to cold and need to be overwintered. In November, the first frosts blacken the foliage, which is the time to lift them. Carefully dig up the tubercles. Remove as much soil as possible. Allow the foliage to dry so the tubercles can replenish their reserves. Then cut the stems to 10 cm. Spread your bulbs in a crate on newspaper. Store them in a frost-free, dry, cool, and dark place, such as a frost-free garage or an attic. In southern regions, near the coast, experiencing only a few frosty days per year, it is possible to leave them in place. In this case, simply cover the soil with a carpet of leaves or straw as protection.
Planting period
Intended location
Care
Planting & care advice
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Hardiness is the lowest winter temperature a plant can endure without suffering serious damage or even dying. However, hardiness is affected by location (a sheltered area, such as a patio), protection (winter cover) and soil type (hardiness is improved by well-drained soil).
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The flowering period indicated on our website applies to countries and regions located in USDA zone 8 (France, the United Kingdom, Ireland, the Netherlands, etc.)
It will vary according to where you live:
- In zones 9 to 10 (Italy, Spain, Greece, etc.), flowering will occur about 2 to 4 weeks earlier.
- In zones 6 to 7 (Germany, Poland, Slovenia, and lower mountainous regions), flowering will be delayed by 2 to 3 weeks.
- In zone 5 (Central Europe, Scandinavia), blooming will be delayed by 3 to 5 weeks.
In temperate climates, pruning of spring-flowering shrubs (forsythia, spireas, etc.) should be done just after flowering.
Pruning of summer-flowering shrubs (Indian Lilac, Perovskia, etc.) can be done in winter or spring.
In cold regions as well as with frost-sensitive plants, avoid pruning too early when severe frosts may still occur.
The planting period indicated on our website applies to countries and regions located in USDA zone 8 (France, United Kingdom, Ireland, Netherlands).
It will vary according to where you live:
- In Mediterranean zones (Marseille, Madrid, Milan, etc.), autumn and winter are the best planting periods.
- In continental zones (Strasbourg, Munich, Vienna, etc.), delay planting by 2 to 3 weeks in spring and bring it forward by 2 to 4 weeks in autumn.
- In mountainous regions (the Alps, Pyrenees, Carpathians, etc.), it is best to plant in late spring (May-June) or late summer (August-September).
The harvesting period indicated on our website applies to countries and regions in USDA zone 8 (France, England, Ireland, the Netherlands).
In colder areas (Scandinavia, Poland, Austria...) fruit and vegetable harvests are likely to be delayed by 3-4 weeks.
In warmer areas (Italy, Spain, Greece, etc.), harvesting will probably take place earlier, depending on weather conditions.
The sowing periods indicated on our website apply to countries and regions within USDA Zone 8 (France, UK, Ireland, Netherlands).
In colder areas (Scandinavia, Poland, Austria...), delay any outdoor sowing by 3-4 weeks, or sow under glass.
In warmer climes (Italy, Spain, Greece, etc.), bring outdoor sowing forward by a few weeks.