Cafe au Lait Dahlia
Dahlia 'Cafe au Lait'
flowerCafe au Lait is the famously sought-after dinnerplate dahlia, bearing 8 to 10 inch blooms in soft, shifting tones of creamy blush, buff, and palest peach. Bushy 3 to 4 ft plants flower from midsummer until frost and are the darling of wedding florists and cutting gardens. Grown from tubers that are lifted and stored over winter in cold climates.
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Sun
full sun
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Water
Every 3 days
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Bloom
~100 days
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Difficulty
medium
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Lifecycle
tender perennial
Perennial in warm zones; grown as an annual where winters freeze
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Spacing
18-24 in. apart
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Planting Depth
Tuber 4-6 in. deep, eye up
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Soil pH
6.5-7.0
Growing Details
Soil Type
Rich, well-draining
Hardiness Zones
Zones 3 – 10
When to Fertilize
At planting and again when buds form; stop in late summer
Fertilizer
Low-nitrogen 5-10-10 or 10-20-20
🌱 Growing Guide
Pot tubers up indoors about a month before the last frost for an early start, or plant directly once the soil reaches 60F and frost has passed, setting the tuber 4 to 6 inches deep with the eye facing up. Choose full sun and rich, well-drained soil, and install a stake at planting time so you do not spear the tuber later. Pinch the growing tip above the third or fourth set of leaves to force branching, and water deeply two to three times a week once shoots emerge. In zones colder than 8, lift and store the tubers after the first frost blackens the foliage.
🌼 Have a different variety?Cultivars of the same species usually share the same basic care — they differ mainly in flower color, height, and bloom form, not in how you grow them. So this guide still applies even if your exact variety isn't the one shown.
Planting Calendar
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Start seeds indoors
Mar 18
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Transplant outdoors
Apr 22
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Projected first bloom
Jul 31
JJan
FFeb
MMar
AApr
MMay
JJun
JJul
AAug
SSep
OOct
NNov
DDec
✅ Plant alongside
Good neighbors that attract beneficial insects or deter pests
- Zinnia — Shares the cutting bed and draws butterflies and bees that boost overall pollination
- Salvia — Attracts hummingbirds and beneficial insects that prey on aphids
- French Marigold — Suppresses root-knot nematodes that can weaken dahlia tubers
- Nasturtium — Acts as a trap crop that pulls aphids away from dahlia buds
🛡️ Pest & disease prevention
Proactive ways to stop trouble before it starts — tap a name with an arrow for its full guide
Protect emerging shoots with grit or traps and keep mulch pulled back from the crown
Set rolled-cardboard or upturned-pot traps near plants and empty them each morning
Plant nasturtium as a trap crop, encourage ladybugs, and hose off colonies
Space plants 18 to 24 inches for airflow and water at the base, not overhead
🌸 Blooms & cutting
Cut in the early morning when blooms are three-quarters to fully open, since dahlias do not open much further once cut. Cut deeply just above a leaf node to encourage more stems; the more you cut, the more it blooms. Expect about 4 to 5 days of vase life.
🥗 Nutrition & benefits
A fully double dinnerplate form, so it offers less open access for pollinators than single dahlias; its main value is as a long-lasting cut flower. Late-season blooms still draw the occasional bee when the center is exposed.
For educational and informational purposes only — HomeSown is not medical, health, or other professional advice. Always positively identify any plant before handling or eating it; some plants, and some parts of otherwise-edible plants, are toxic. Consult a qualified professional before consuming or otherwise using any plant, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a health condition.