Dahlia Ivanetti: magnificent magenta ball dahlia

Dahlia Ivanetti
Image by kind permission of the National Dahlia Society

Dahlia Ivanetti is a beautiful dahlia featuring dark maroon or magenta flowers that brings a rich depth of colour to your garden.

Ivanetti is a mini ball dahlia, which means it has round, tightly-packed petals in a spherical or slightly flattened shape. The ray florets are arranged spirally and are rounded at the tips.

This dahlia variety was introduced by the Dutch growers Geerlings in 1999.

The flowers of Dahlia Ivanetti sit on top of straight and sturdy dark green stems, with the flowers nicely set off by the green of the leaves.

Dahlia Ivanetti is a medium sized dahlia, reaching about 3 feet 3 inches tall (1.1m), with small flowers that are about 4 inches (10cm) across.

It is a free-flowering plant that will bloom well throughout the summer. Of course, frequent deadheading will prolong the flowering season. You can read more about how to deadhead dahlias in this post.

Garden Uses for Dahlia Ivanetti

Dahlia Ivanetti is a good choice in hot climates as it is one of the best heat tolerant dahlias. However, like all dahlias, Dahlia Ivanetti will flower from mid-summer until cut down by the first frosts.

Grow Dahlia Ivanetti as a cut flower

Ivanetti is a good cut flower variety. The blooms are small but long lasting and it has the advantage of lovely straight, strong stems that mean it does well in the vase.

If you are growing Dahlia Ivanetti as a cut flower, it might be a good idea to grow it in a raised bed for ease of access to the plants for cutting.

If you do grow it as a cut flower, remember that when you are cutting it you should immediately place it in clean water to prevent air pockets from forming in the stem.

Dahlia Ivanetti
Dahlia Ivanetti, image by kind permission of the National Dahlia Society

Grow Dahlia Ivanetti in borders and containers

Dahlia Ivanetti is a medium sized dahlia, so you’ll need to plant it where it won’t be hidden by taller plants. Plant it near the front of the border, or in the middle if you have low growing plants in front.

One of Ivanetti’s great strengths is that its flower are very weather resistant. I must say that I am often seduced by the big blousy flowers of some of the waterlily or cactus dahlias. However, the problem with the larger blooms is that they can easily start to look ragged if subject to much wind or rain.

Mini ball dahlias, have tight compact flowers, that are less easily damaged in bad weather. The strong stems of Ivanetti can also stand up to tougher conditions, so this is a variety that can work in slightly more exposed sites.

The deep magenta colour of Dahlia Ivanetti means it will go well with plants of contrasting lighter colours – pale yellows, pale pinks (like Dahlia Wizard of Oz) or whites. Be careful when mixing it with other deeper pinks (e.g. reds or purples as you might find the effect to be a bit jarring. It might be worth trying with Dahlia Wine Eyed Jill or Night Silence.

In a mixed border, Ivanetti looks good with hardy geraniums in front and maybe some of the taller echinacea varieties behind.

The height of Dahlia Ivanetti means that it will do well in containers with a simple support around it (the taller varieties are much harder to grown in pots without elaborate staking arrangements). However, make sure you use a big enough container, so that the compost does not dry out too frequently.

Where to buy Dahlia Ivanetti

In the US, try the suppliers listed by dahliaaddict.com, or Swan Island Dahlias.

In the UK, Dahlia Ivanetti is available at Thompson and Morgan (affiliate link), Rose Cottage Plants or Hart’s Nursery.

Plant Notes: Dahlia Ivanetti

Dahliia Plant family icon

Family

Dahlias belong to the Asteraceae family of plants.

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Plant Type

Dahlias are tuberous herbaceous perennials.

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Soil Type

Moist well-drained loamy soil.

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Aspect

Dahlias prefer full sun, but can cope with partial shade.

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Eventual Size

Height approx 110cm (3 feet 3 inches). Width approx 40 cm (1 foot 4 inches)

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hardiness

Foliage cut down by frost. Tubers may survive down to -5C (23F). US Hardiness Zones 8+, UK Zone H3

Plant Calendar: Dahlia Ivanetti


Dahlia seedsSow SeedsFeb, March, April (under cover)
pot up dahlia tubersPot up TubersMarch, April
plant out dahliasPlant Out**May, June
dahlia flowersFlowering TimeJuly, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov.

These timings assume a last frost in May. Adjust timings earlier or later according to last frost where you live.

**In areas of extreme summer heat, plant out in September.


Caring for Dahlia Ivanetti

Take care of Dahlia Ivanetti just as you would for any dahlia. Note in particular:

Planting and position dahlias

  • Dahlias prefer to be positioned full sun in moist, retentive, but well drained soil.
  • Improve the soil with organic matter before planting, preferably in the autumn.
  • Plant out your Dahlia tubers or sprouts after the risk of frost has passed.
  • Plant non-sprouting tubers 4 to 5 inches deep. Plant more deeply if a risk of frost remains, or you live in an area with extreme heat – but only if drainage is good. Otherwise there is a risk of the tubers rotting.

Watering and feeding dahlias

  • Keep the plant well-watered, but don’t let it get waterlogged for any prolonged period.
  • Feed with a well balanced fertiliser whilst its leaves and stems are developing, but switch to a regular phosphate rich fertiliser (e.g. tomato feed) to encourage flowering.

Stopping dahlias and increasing flower numbers

  • If you pinch out the growing tips of the main stems when they have two or three sets of leaves, you can create a bushier plant which will produce more blooms.
  • Remember to deadhead your flowers regularly to keep the plant flowering for as long as possible.

End of growing season care

  • If you live in an area that suffers from hard frosts or prolonged waterlogging, lift and store the tubers over winter. Follow the guidance in this post on overwintering dahlias.
  • If you do not get temperatures below freezing, you can leave your dahlia tubers in position. But it is best to cut back the old stems and mulch well.
Dahlia Ivanetti
Dahlia Ivanetti in mixed dahlia border. Image by kind permission of the National Dahlia Society

More on Growing Dahlias

You can also get much more guidance on growing dahlias in these posts:

dahlias step by step

Get the complete guide to growing dahlias in your garden

Learn about all stages of dahlia growing including propagation, planting, deadheading, feeding, watering, overwintering, pests and diseases and a whole lot besides.

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