Umpqua Sunrise

Umpqua Sunrise captures the radiance of a crisp morning sky, glowing in a luminous blend of playful pink, warm coral, and sunny yellow. Her sculpted formal decorative blooms are especially beautiful because the color is not static. As the season progresses, the brighter pink and yellow tones can soften toward peach, blush, and gentler autumn shades, making the plant feel subtly different from one flush of flowers to the next.

Bred by Leon and Joan Olson of Garden Valley Dahlia Gardens and introduced in 1993, Umpqua Sunrise is a true Oregon-bred classic. She has earned a reputation as a remarkably dependable workhorse, producing generous numbers of flowers on strong cutting stems while also multiplying tubers exceptionally well.

📖 From the journal of Hedge & Alchemy

I grew up in Oregon, so I have a special soft spot for dahlias that originated there. I love seeking out and growing Oregon-bred varieties because they feel like little living pieces of home tucked into my Pennsylvania garden.

Umpqua Sunrise is especially fun because her color evolves through the season. She can begin with brighter pinks and sunny yellow, then soften into peachier, blush-toned flowers as autumn approaches. I’m looking forward to seeing exactly how she behaves here at Ravensong Cottage.

🌱 2027 Grow-Out

Umpqua Sunrise 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: Leon & Joan Olson / Garden Valley Dahlia Gardens
• Year of Introduction: 1993
• Origin: Oregon, USA
• Form: Formal Decorative (FD)
• Bloom Size: Small / BB, approximately 4 to 6 inches
• Color Classification: Dark Blend, primarily pink and yellow
• Cut Flower Status: Excellent. Long stems, good vase life, prolific flowering, and a useful bloom size make her highly desirable for cutting.
• Show & Exhibition Flower Status: Yes. Umpqua Sunrise is a recognized exhibition cultivar with a history of ribbon placements on American Dahlia Society chapter show benches.

🌱 Growing Notes

• Bloom: Fully double formal decorative flowers blending bright pink, coral, and yellow. The palette may soften toward peach and blush as temperatures cool later in the season.
• Plant Height & Habit: Approximately 4 to 5 feet tall, vigorous, upright, and highly productive.
• Growing Notes: Stake or net securely to support the heavy flower production. Early pinching encourages branching and even more cutting stems.
• Garden Performance: A true cutting-patch workhorse, known for reliable bloom production throughout the season.
• Tuber Yield: Excellent. Umpqua Sunrise is widely regarded as a strong multiplier that produces plentiful, viable storage tubers.