Dark and Moody Dahlias

Every arranger eventually wants the dark flower, the one that gives a bouquet weight and shadow. Dahlias do this corner better than almost anything, from berry purples to a red so deep it reads black.

These photograph darker than they look in the hand, so a little goes a long way in a vase. Paired with blush or peach, one dark bloom does all the work.

  1. No. 1

    Ivanetti

    Ball BA · Cor Geerlings

    A deep berry-purple ball, the florist staple for moody work, loaded with bloom all season on long strong stems with a vase life up to a week per Fleur Farm. The easiest entry into the dark palette.

    Who carries it
  2. No. 2

    Hollyhill Black Beauty

    Informal Decorative BB

    Near-black red, one of the darkest dahlias grown and a 2021 Stanley Johnson Medal co-winner. Bear Creek stocks it by popular demand. This is the flower people mean when they ask for a black dahlia.

    Who carries it
  3. No. 3

    Verrone's Obsidian

    Orchid · Verrone

    A black-red orchid form with a silver reverse, the cult pick for avant-garde design. The open, star-shaped bloom is unlike any other dark flower on this list.

    Who carries it
  4. No. 4

    Jowey Mirella

    Ball · Jozef Weyts

    A merlot-burgundy ball from the Jowey line, described as one of the top-selling burgundy dahlias and a wedding-work staple. Tidy, dependable, richly colored.

    Who carries it
  5. No. 5

    Diva

    Formal Decorative BB · Swan Island Dahlias

    A burgundy-plum with an iridescent purple cast and huge heads, which Heirloom Soul calls hyper-productive in both blooms and tubers. Drama and output in one plant.

    Who carries it

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