Dahlia Sunny Reggae

Dahlia Sunny Reggae (Dahlia variabilis) is a striking seed-grown dahlia variety celebrated for its cheerful, semi-double to fully double blooms in warm, sunset tones—ranging from golden yellow and orange to soft red. Its petals often have fluted or slightly rolled edges, giving the flowers a playful, decorative texture. Compact and bushy in habit, ‘Sunny Reggae’ is ideal for containers, mixed borders, and cut flower gardens, where its vibrant colours add instant impact.

Reaching a mature height of around 50–60 cm, Sunny Reggae is perfectly suited to smaller garden spaces or patio pots. Its upright stems and long-lasting blooms also make it a delightful cut flower, especially in informal summer bouquets. Regular picking encourages further blooming throughout the season.

Collarette dahlias are known to be more low maintenance than other types of dahlias. This is due to their open and branching plant habit which doesn’t require staking, and they are “self-cleaning” in that as their flowers fade, their petals drop to the ground rather than wilting and rotting on the stem, so even if you fall behind on picking or deadheading, the plants always look fresh and tidy.

Collarette dahlias are loved by pollinators, and their open flower form gives them a more wildflower-like quality that is beautiful for floral arrangements although may have a shorter-than-normal vase life.

Home gardeners can sow Sunny Reggae seeds indoors in late August to October in New Zealand. Sow seeds 5 mm deep in trays filled with a light, free-draining mix, and keep them at a consistent temperature of 20–25?°C. Germination usually occurs within 7–14 days. Once seedlings are sturdy and all risk of frost has passed, transplant them into beds or pots, spacing them 25–30 cm apart.

These dahlias thrive in full sun and prefer fertile, well-drained soil. Regular watering during dry periods is essential, but avoid overwatering. For best flowering, feed with a balanced liquid fertiliser every few weeks and deadhead spent blooms promptly. Easy to grow and full of colour.

When you grow dahlias from seed, you generally cannot expect blooms to be true to type. Dahlia seed mixes are best thought of as genetic lotteries: great for curiosity, bedding displays, or breeding—but not for reproducing a known variety.

Dahlias are highly genetically variable. They are usually cross-pollinated hybrids, so the seeds carry a mixed set of traits from both parent plants. That means:

• Flower form, colour, shape, size, and plant height can all vary widely
• Each seedling is essentially a new, unique dahlia

If you want an exact copy of a dahlia you like, you need to grow it from tubers or cuttings, not seed.