21 Orange Dahlia Varieties To Grow This Season

Adding some orange dahlias to your garden this season will definitely brighten up your flowerbeds. There are so many different Dahlia varieties, that it feels like it could take you a months to research them all, let alone plant them! With so many varieties to choose from, it can be difficult to settle on just one to plant.

Many gardeners love Dahlias because their dazzling colors light up gardens, and they can tolerate sunnier growing conditions. There are also many different shapes, and sizes that you can choose from.

So, you’ve settled on orange dahlias, but what’s your next course of action? Picking the right orange blooming varieties, of course! We’ve hand-picked some of our favorite dahlias with beautiful orange flowers and compiled them into a single list, with names and pictures of each. Ready to learn more? Let’s dig in!

‘AC Sadie’

Scientific Name: Dahlia ‘AC Sadie’

• Plant Type: Perennial
• Geographic Origin: United States
• Plant Size: 5 ft
• Sun Exposure: Full Sun
• Plant Zone: 8-11

The AC Sadie is a Cactus variety. As a result, the plant is quite hardy and very colorful. You can enjoy the brilliant oranges and reds—once your cold nights pass. These perennials will bloom well into the fall, all the way up until first frost.

Use well-draining soil with a bit of organic matter, such as manure or compost. These plants work perfectly as border flowers. They also do well in larger containers.

‘Andries’ Orange’

Scientific Name: Dahlia ‘Andries’ Orange’

• Plant Type: Perennial
• Geographic Origin: Belgium
• Plant Size: 3-4 ft
• Sun Exposure: Full Sun
• Plant Zone: 8-11

The Andries’ Orange is a stunning Semi-Cactus with deep orange petals in the middle that fade to lighter orange as the petals age. These award-winning plants are not top-heavy, so they stand up in the wind and rain.

You can plant the beautiful blooms of the Andries’ Orange at the end of winter. As a bonus, this cultivar tends to attract butterflies to further beautify your garden. They also do well in vases, containers, and as cut plants.

‘Ariko Zsaza’

Scientific Name: Dahlia ‘Ariko Zsaza’

• Plant Type: Perennial
• Geographic Origin: United States
• Plant Size: 2-3 ft
• Sun Exposure: Full Sun
• Plant Zone: 8-11

The Ariko Zsaza is another Decorative variety with small, scooped orange petals that form a spherical-shaped flower. The flat-tipped double petals bloom beautifully. You can make many cuts during the growing season for displays.

Ariko Zsaza Dahlias do not get too tall, so they work great as border plants or second-row flower bed plants. Make sure you avoid soil that compacts and drains well to accommodate frequent watering.

‘Beatrice’

Scientific Name: Dahlia ‘Beatrice’

• Plant Type: Perennial
• Geographic Origin: Australia
• Plant Size: 2-3 ft
• Sun Exposure: Full Sun
• Plant Zone: 8-11

The Beatrice is a Ball variety, which means the flower takes on a globular shape created by the cups of many smaller flowers. The orange and pink flowers stick out against the backdrop of the green plant-like floral lollipops.

If you are having a brutal summer or live in a hot climate, these flowers need some light shade in the afternoon when the sun is hottest. Keep the soil moist, and remember that since plants are deer resistant, don’t let pets eat them.

‘Bora Bora’

Scientific Name: Dahlia ‘Bora Bora’

• Plant Type: Perennial
• Geographic Origin: Belgium
• Plant Size: 2-3 ft
• Sun Exposure: Full Sun
• Plant Zone: 8-11

The Bora Bora is an award-winning Cactus cultivar with orange and dark coral-pink flowers that transition to gold toward the center. You can plant once your nights are no longer cold.

This variety does well in pots or containers, even floating in bowls for a splash of color. Create soil made of clay, loam, and sand. During the hot season, keep the soil well-watered, so the roots do not dry out.

‘Brown Sugar’

Scientific Name: Dahlia ‘Brown Sugar’

• Plant Type: Perennial
• Geographic Origin: Mexico
• Plant Size: 3-4 ft
• Sun Exposure: Full Sun
• Plant Zone: 8-11

Despite the name Brown Sugar, all the petals are a blend of orange and bronze. This plant is in a new category for this list called Miniature Ball Dahlia. The scooped petals form a spherical shape about 4 inches wide. The center is the darkest part and fades out to lighter-colored edges.

You can put these plants in the middle or toward the back of a bed. Make sure they get plenty of sunlight, but some afternoon shade is a good thing.

‘Caballero’

Scientific Name: Dahlia ‘Caballero’

• Plant Type: Perennial
• Geographic Origin: Netherlands
• Plant Size: 3-4 ft
• Sun Exposure: Full Sun
• Plant Zone: 8-11

The Caballero is just as beautiful as Cactus varieties. But as a Water Lily variety, this eye-catching plant has broad orange petals, with red in the mix, that slowly turn into streaks of yellow toward the tips.

Take note that these Dahlias are deer resistant, meaning that they are toxic to dogs, cats, and horses. Provide well-draining soil that contains clay or loam. They like full sun, but make sure the soil stays moist to maintain plant health.

‘Destiny’s John Michael’

Scientific Name: Dahlia ‘Destiny’s John Michael’

• Plant Type: Perennial
• Geographic Origin: United States
• Plant Size: 4-5 ft
• Sun Exposure: Full Sun
• Plant Zone: 8-11

The John Michael is our first Collarette, which alludes to the outer petals forming an orange collar. Inside the collar is a ring of yellow petals around a cluster of darker golden petals. You can expect the lack of water in the flowers to allow them to continue standing in the wind and rain.

Create a well-draining soil by adding clay or loam, and you can move these back into the flower bed. They also do fine in vases and containers. They prefer full sun, but do not let the soil dry out to prevent damage.

‘Firepot’

Scientific Name: Dahlia ‘Firepot’

• Plant Type: Perennial
• Geographic Origin: United States
• Plant Size: 2 ft
• Sun Exposure: Full Sun
• Plant Zone: 8-11

The Firepot has a color described as a flame blend with lots of oranges in the mix. Since the plant is a Water Lily, the Firepot has orange, purple, and yellow blades that fan out before curling up around a purple core.

Choose well-draining soil. I recommend including organic matter such as a bit of manure or compost along with clay or loam. Firepots are not tall, so they look great on borders or in tabletop containers or vases to brighten up a room at eye level.

‘Helen’s Little Orange’

Scientific Name: Dahlia ‘Helen’s Little Orange’

• Plant Type: Perennial
• Geographic Origin: United States
• Plant Size: 3-4 ft
• Sun Exposure: Full Sun
• Plant Zone: 8-11

Helen’s Little Orange is another variety with scooped and rounded petals that qualify as miniature. The orange color is deeper in the center and fades toward the edges to peach and pink colors.

Whether you want to line a border or fill a container or a vase, Little Oranges will look great and adapt well. As a general rule, you should not let children or pets near flowers they could eat, as these Dahlias are deer resistant and toxic to dogs, cats, and horses.

‘Jescot Julie’

Scientific Name: Dahlia ‘Jescot Julie’

• Plant Type: Perennial
• Geographic Origin: United Kingdom
• Plant Size: 3-4 ft
• Sun Exposure: Full Sun
• Plant Zone: 8-11

The best way to describe the Jescot Julie is with words like vivid and striking. The wide petals emanate from a yellow and orange core and spiral outward to become burnt orange on the largest outer petals.

The plants are perfect for adding amazing color to borders with their medium height. Plant as soon as the nights get warmer to take advantage of their full blossoming season from July to the first frost. These plants need some shelter as strong winds can cause problems. Keep the soil damp.

‘Jowey Nicky’

Scientific Name: Dahlia ‘Jowey Nicky’

• Plant Type: Perennial
• Geographic Origin: Belgium
• Plant Size: 3-4 ft
• Sun Exposure: Full Sun
• Plant Zone: 8-11

This plant is another Miniature Ball variety. The Jowey Nicky often has deep orange centers that fade to lighter orange, peach, and yellow colors on the outsides.

In addition to the striking beauty, you can expect these plants to resist deer and attract butterflies to further beautify the garden. This variety needs a bit of shelter from high winds. You do not need to worry about sun exposure as long as you regularly water the soil.

‘Kelsey Annie Joy’

Scientific Name: Dahlia ‘Kelsey Annie Joy’

• Plant Type: Perennial
• Geographic Origin: United States
• Plant Size: 2-3 ft
• Sun Exposure: Full Sun
• Plant Zone: 8-11

The Kelsey Annie Joy is a Collarette, which means the outer petals look like a collar. Collarettes have a flat appearance with a pinecone-like bulb in the middle, which is often a different color from the rest of the plant. The KAJ has an orange collar followed by pink petals that blend into a yellow center.

Pinch off the first couple of buds below the terminal bud early in the season to encourage bushier growth later. These plants are low maintenance in terms of worrying about sun exposure as long as the soil stays damp.

‘Labyrinth’

Scientific Name: Dahlia ‘Labyrinth’

• Plant Type: Perennial
• Geographic Origin: Netherlands
• Plant Size: 5-6 ft
• Sun Exposure: Full Sun
• Plant Zone: 8-11

Considered an Informal Decorative with large 6-8 inch wide flowers, the Labyrinth should be one of your go-to plants if you need an explosion of attention-grabbing color. The petals burst outward from an orange core with wavy orange and pink petals.

Due to the low water content in the flowers, you should not have problems with the rain. Choose a well-draining soil with clay or loam. I always mix organic matter, such as compost or manure, into the soil, but make sure it’s not too much.

‘Mango Madness’

Scientific Name: Dahlia ‘Mango Madness’

• Plant Type: Perennial
• Geographic Origin: United States
• Plant Size: 3-4 ft
• Sun Exposure: Full Sun
• Plant Zone: 8-11

You often see gardens adorned with reds, yellows, and pinks. For a change, the Mango Madness is almost pure orange and may contain bronze tones. This plant is an Informal Decorative with large flowers that may measure up to 11 inches across.

These flowers will look great in a bed, along borders, in vases, or in containers. They are another deer-resistant variety, so they are toxic to dogs, cats, and horses. I use equal caution with children as well.

‘Myrtle’s Folly’

Scientific Name: Dahlia ‘Myrtle’s Folly’

• Plant Type: Perennial
• Geographic Origin: United States
• Plant Size: 3-4 ft
• Sun Exposure: Full Sun
• Plant Zone: 8-11

Myrtle’s Folly has laciniated flowers, which is a fancy way of saying the petals twist and turn and almost appear to have antennae at the end that resemble a slug probing for food. The large flowers, measuring up to 6-8 inches, are a blend of hanging orange and red petals.

You can push Myrtle’s Follies beyond borders toward the back of a flower bed since they get tall enough. With their height, they will get plenty of sunlight, so give well-draining soil plenty of water to maintain moisture.

‘Normandy Orange Fluff’

Scientific Name: Dahlia ‘Normandy Orange Fluff’

• Plant Type: Perennial
• Geographic Origin: United States
• Plant Size: 3-4 ft
• Sun Exposure: Full Sun
• Plant Zone: 8-11

The Normandy Orange Fluff also has laciniated petals that look less twisted, while the antennae at the end are longer and more obvious than the Myrtle’s Folly. The whole flower is a blend of oranges with a dark core and lighter petals at the bottom.

With their height, these plants are perfect for borders or flower beds. They are toxic to cats, dogs, and horses, so teach children to stay away. Plant early as soon as the weather allows, so you can enjoy the full bloom season from July to the first frost.

‘October Sky’

Scientific Name: Dahlia ‘October Sky’

• Plant Type: Perennial
• Geographic Origin: United States
• Plant Size: 4-5 ft
• Sun Exposure: Full Sun
• Plant Zone: 8-11

The October Sky has striking salmon-orange petals that open from a lemon-yellow center. The form is Informal Decorative, which means the scooped petals grow relatively wide and flatten out with age.

Since most people will want to display these plants, gardeners can remove the first pair of buds below the terminal bud to encourage better growth later. Remove the first four to five buds for even better blooms.

‘Orange Nugget’

Scientific Name: Dahlia ‘Orange Nugget’

• Plant Type: Perennial
• Geographic Origin: United States
• Plant Size: 2-3 ft
• Sun Exposure: Full Sun
• Plant Zone: 8-11

The Orange Nugget is a Decorative Dahlia. The orange scooped and rounded petals will jump out at your eyes.

The flowers are miniature and only measure 4 inches wide. They are not top-heavy, and the plants continue standing in the rain. As usual, wait until you have no more cold nights or until midsummer to plant these. Make sure to keep the soil moist in the heat.

‘Peaches And Cream’

Scientific Name: Dahlia ‘Peaches And Cream’

• Plant Type: Perennial
• Geographic Origin: United Kingdom
• Plant Size: 2-3 ft
• Sun Exposure: Full Sun
• Plant Zone: 8-11

With the Peaches And Cream, we have returned to the Water Lily category. As the name implies, you get a taste of many colors in the wide leaves, with orange popping up throughout, just like in real peaches.

This is another variety you should mix into your bed if you want people to stop and look. Have them ready to bloom from July to the first frost as soon as your nights get warmer. Since the flowers can get up to 5 feet high, you can plant them at the back of flower beds.

‘Totally Tangerine’

Scientific Name: Dahlia ‘Totally Tangerine’

• Plant Type: Perennial
• Geographic Origin: United States
• Plant Size: 2-3 ft
• Sun Exposure: Full Sun
• Plant Zone: 8-11

The Totally Tangerine has a unique shape, unlike other anemone-flowered varieties. Wide petals, almost like a collarette, surround orange anemone-shaped small flowers in the center. This prolific bloomer has flowers measuring 3 inches across.

Like most Dahlias, wait until the nights are no longer cold or June to July to plant Totally Tangerines. As medium-height plants, they look great in borders but will do equally well in containers and vases. They can handle full sun, but water the plants generously.