City Lights™ Red Dahlia

City Lights™ Red is an upright, well-branched dahlia with red blooms set against dark foliage. Selecta lists the cultivar at 12–14 inches tall and wide and recommends it for sunny pots and landscape plantings, where its strong color can brighten a compact bed or patio display. ## Placement and seasonal display Use it in full sun, in a container with room for roots or in a border where the dark leaves contrast with pale flowers and foliage. The breeder describes the City Lights series as upright, medium-vigor, well branched, and attractive to butterflies and birds. Its compact dimensions make it useful at the front or middle of a planting; leave airflow around the foliage and avoid crowding it with larger plants. The [Selecta One cultivar page](https://www.selectanorthamerica.com/SpringPlants/SeriesInfo/?phid=021708422004463) provides the cultivar’s size, exposure, series habit, and landscape uses. ## Soil and watering Choose fertile, moisture-retentive but free-draining soil. Water during warm, dry spells, and check pots regularly because they dry more quickly than garden beds. The [RHS dahlia guide](https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/dahlia/growing-guide/) recommends sun, moist but well-drained soil, and regular watering for container-grown dahlias. ## Maintenance Remove faded flower heads to keep the plant tidy and encourage continued flowering. Dahlias are tender to frost; in regions with freezing winters, protect the tubers or lift and store them in a frost-free place after the first damaging frost. See the [RHS growing and overwintering advice](https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/dahlia/growing-guide/).