Penhill Watermelon
Penhill Watermelon
Penhill Watermelon is an enormous, ruffled dinnerplate dahlia bred by Walter H. Maritz in South Africa and introduced in 2000. She opens in an unruly watercolor blend of watermelon pink, coral, peach, lavender, cream, and touches of soft yellow, with long twisting petals that give the flower movement rather than perfect symmetry. She is wonderfully excessive, a little wild around the edges, and very much the sort of flower that can command an arrangement all by herself.
🌱 2027 Grow-Out
Penhill Watermelon will arrive at Hedge & Alchemy in Spring 2027 and will be grown here for the first time that season. She will not be offered in our 2027 tuber sale.
📋 Cultivar Notes
- Breeder / Hybridizer: Walter H. Maritz
- Year of Introduction: 2000
- Origin: South Africa
- Form: Informal Decorative (ID)
- ADS Classification Number: 0110 (AA / Giant / Informal Decorative / Light Blend)
- Bloom Size: Generally 10 to 12+ inches
- Color: Light Blend, combining watermelon pink, coral, peach, lavender, cream, and soft yellow
- Cut Flower Status: Excellent as a dramatic focal flower. One bloom can carry an arrangement, although the enormous flowers need sturdy stems, careful handling, and plenty of room.
- Show & Exhibition Flower Status: Yes. Penhill Watermelon is an established exhibition dahlia and has earned major AA awards at ADS-affiliated shows.
🌱 Growing Notes
- Bloom: Giant, loosely ruffled informal decorative flowers, often 10 inches or more, with long twisting petals and a soft light-blend palette.
- Plant Height & Habit: Typically around 4½ to 5 feet tall, with a vigorous upright habit.
- Growing Notes: This is a substantial plant carrying very substantial flowers. Stake early and stake well. Disbudding will help push energy into fewer, larger exhibition-style blooms.
- Tuber Yield: To be tracked during our 2027 grow-out.
The Penhill name also has a lovely bit of history behind it: Maritz bred his dahlias at Penhill in South Africa, and the name became the signature for his family of famously large-flowered cultivars.