"If Dahlia imperialis flowers in summer in Argentina, is it perhaps just the
fact that the plant needs a certain minimum size to flower at all and only
being able to reach this in mild winter climate that does not kill the
current
year's growth. (or greenhouse coultivation?) For how long does one shoot
last?
More than one year?"
Dear Uli:
Not in all of Argentina but where winter frosts are very slight.
It is exactly as you say: the warmth makes it reach flowering size within
the spring. One shoot last for a growing season (till fall) only and it is
damaged by winter low temperatures. The normal practice is to prune back
every winter. The new shoots produced in spring grow very rapidly.
Regards
Alberto
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