Kelvin Floodlight Dahlia Tuber
You know, I would never have intentionally bought this variety, he came in as a mislabel, but the thing is, whenever I saw his photo online or in the catalogs, I was like, meh, I don't get it, he's just that cold highlighter-yellow and big. But then, I saw him blooming. And you know. This flower is absolutely amazing.
Yes, he's got hints of that highlighter-yellow color that some dahlias can have--though in person, there is a lot more luminosity and subtlety, and while the yellow is cool, it's like linens on the line on a summer evening, kind of cool, NOT a fluorescent 80's yellow. And the size is REMARKABLE--over 12 inches for sure. Like mind-blowing. Similar to Emory Paul.
The plants are actually quite productive too, and strong. Like I said, he was a mislable, so I didn't trellis him with my other giants, and he still did fine. No breaking or lodging.
But like, look at how happy I am with this flower. Look at how nice he looks with whites and pinks alike. It's not my usual palette, but I think a case can be made for a little more of this color in my arranging.
At market he was always the very first to sell, of course, and brought huge smiles to everyone's faces. Wholesalers will be pickier, but I think there's room for Kelvin.