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When I first started growing dahlias, I could not understand why anyone would want a white dahlia. Dahlias have such intense colors. Now I really appreciate them. If you sell cut flowers the number one white dahlia that you should grow is Bride to Be bred by Swan Island Dahlias. I was talking to them and they told me that they sell a ton of this flower for weddings. One customer ordered 300 flowers for their wedding(and they were able to fill the order!!!). Lots of blooms on this beauty.
We like to place a sign on our porch that says: We are in the garden. Really, we are always in the garden.
I like white as well, I think my first white dahlia purchase was a dinnerplate named "Glacier" I bought on ebay. I produced some nice white 10" blooms with a yellowish tint near the middle of the blooms when in the direct sunlight. Wish I'd managed to keep some tubers from that one.
I've purchased a few different white culitivars this year Mingus Ida, Ayers White Knight, Louie Meggos, Kenora Jubilee, and Kenora Clyde.
My overall favorite white dahlia is Ryecroft Jan M FD W. It grows in all weather conditions and produces lots of flowers for all purposes. For me it makes enough tubers but others complain a bit. I like the fact that it grows very vigorously and has lots of nice flowers. Very dependable. I once used about 30 flowers of it in a flower arrangement and cut the blossoms at about 2 inches and made a sheet "cake" design with it with it. The design was not that great as I am not much of a flower designer as my wife but the point is that Ryecroft Jan produced so many useable flowers.
We like to place a sign on our porch that says: We are in the garden. Really, we are always in the garden.
It has been mentioned on here (and other boards) that it seems like white dahlias attract the bugs more than others. It is for that reason only that I am staying away from them. I'm growing about 45 varities next year and only one will be white - CG Finesse . Last year, I tried Louie Meggos with miserable results. That probably isn't an indictment on the variety; but more about what was going on in my yard. I restricted growth because I wanted to try and show it - so I only allowed 4-5 laterals. One bloomed and was a bug magnet; and the other blew over in a wind storm just before it opened up. I think the other laterals either broke off or froze before they bloomed. It was actually a great tuber producer for me. Edewitt, I probably could have spared you some tubers!
My mother loves white flowers; so I think i'm going to pass them along to her. She is out of the city; and doesn't even know what a japanese beetle looks like. So, it may do better there.
Hakuyoh (or its many other spellings) and Earl are favorites, and Ayers White Knight. Mingus Ida is a beautiful lacinated bloom, though mine died early on when I had it. I like any of the BAWs (Big A** Whites). Spike, Hy Mom, Lula Patti, Kea Magic, Louie Meggos, Kelvin White, Clearview Snowcap. Looking forward to Wyn's Ghostie, Lulu Island Art, and Snoho Storm this year.
