Cornel Bronze

Cornel Bronze began as a sport of Cornel, the red workhorse from Cor Geerlings of the Netherlands, and Idlewild notes it was originally called Sheila before settling into the name that ties it to its parent. The better supported introduction year is 2007 per Idlewild, though 2004 also circulates. It inherited the family engine, productivity and stem quality, and swapped the lipstick red for a muted bronze that arrived just as terracotta and copper palettes took over wedding work. That timing made it. Idlewild has listed it sold out, and it moves quickly in tuber season, helped by the fact that growers who trial it tend to keep it. Buyers should know both names exist in old catalogs, Sheila and Cornel Bronze, for the same flower.

Cornel Bronze is the tall one in the family, listed by Idlewild at about 66 inches, and that height is the main management note. Stake it early and seriously. Idlewild reports it blooms her head off all season on long, strong stems, sets good seed, and makes plentiful, easy to divide tubers, which is about as complete a report card as a cut flower dahlia gets. Blooms are BA class balls in ADS class 6011. Pinch at 8 to 12 inches and net or corral the row if wind is a factor at that height. It suits production farms wanting volume in a muted shade, and tuber sellers, since the easy division multiplies stock fast. Against its parent Cornel, the tradeoff is reach: the red runs shorter and stockier, while Bronze buys its color with up to two extra feet of stem to support.