Dahlia Santa Claus

Dahlia ‘Santa Claus’ is pure festive fun in flower form—bold, bright and guaranteed to get noticed. This eye-catching variety produces striking blooms in rich red tones with crisp white tips and flashes, creating a dramatic, candy-cane style bicolour effect. It’s a brilliant choice for adding high-impact colour to sunny borders and patio pots, and it looks incredible mixed with other hot shades like oranges and pinks (or teamed with whites and silvers for a cleaner, modern look).

Flowering from midsummer right through to the first frosts, ‘Santa Claus’ is also a fantastic cut flower. The more you pick (or deadhead), the more it flowers—so you’ll have plenty of blooms for the garden and the vase all season long.

Planting Instructions

When to Plant:

Plant Dahlia tubers in spring. For the earliest flowers, start tubers in pots indoors from March to April, then plant out once the risk of frost has passed. If planting directly outside, wait until late spring when the soil has warmed.

Where to Plant:
Choose a sunny, sheltered position with fertile, well-drained soil. Dahlias are ideal for mixed borders, cutting gardens and patio containers. They love warmth and perform best in full sun.

How to Plant:

• Depth: Plant tubers about 10–15 cm (4–6 inches) deep, with the old stem (or growing point) facing upwards.
• Spacing: Space plants 45–60 cm (18–24 inches) apart, depending on the final size.
• Soil Prep: Enrich the planting area with well-rotted compost or manure. In heavy soil, improve drainage with grit.

Watering:
Water after planting. Once shoots appear and growth is underway, keep soil evenly moist, especially in dry spells. Avoid waterlogging. Container-grown Dahlias may need watering daily in hot weather.

Aftercare Tips:

• Pinch out the growing tip once plants are around 30 cm tall to encourage bushier growth and more flowers.
• Stake taller stems if needed, especially in exposed borders.
• Deadhead regularly (or cut for the vase) to keep plants flowering until autumn.
• After the first frost blackens the foliage, lift tubers and store dry and frost-free over winter, or protect in the ground with a thick mulch in milder areas.

Top Tip:
For maximum “wow”, plant Dahlia ‘Santa Claus’ near deep greens or dark foliage—it makes the red-and-white colouring look even more vivid.

Plant Details

Flowering Period:

July - October (until first frosts)

Height:
36–48" (90–120cm) (approx. depending on conditions)

Position:
Full sun

Tender Perennial:
Overwinter tubers frost-free in the UK