RM Dawson Dahlia

A little orange, a little gold, and a whole lot of personality. RM Dawson is a beautiful 2026 introduction from River Merle Farm featuring fluffy, 5-inch Informal Decorative blooms that gradually transition from soft orange to warm golden tones as the season progresses. This American-bred dahlia brings a wonderful touch of sunshine to the garden without being the least bit obnoxious about it.

Full Description

Some dahlias pick a color and stick with it. RM Dawson apparently decided that was far too predictable.

This lovely new introduction from Hailey Sly at River Merle Farm in Olympia, Washington, starts the season dressed in subtle orange and gradually shifts toward beautiful golden tones as summer rolls along.

And that's what makes RM Dawson so interesting. Its coloring isn't static. As the season progresses, the flowers develop a warmer, more golden appearance, giving gardeners a changing display from the same variety.

The blooms reach approximately 5 inches across and feature the relaxed, fluffy petals characteristic of the Informal Decorative form. Classified as a Small Informal Decorative (BB ID) in the Bronze color category, RM Dawson offers a wonderfully soft appearance rather than the sharply structured look of a Formal Decorative dahlia.

The combination of gentle orange, golden warmth, and loosely arranged petals makes this variety especially appealing for gardens and floral designs built around soft, warm color palettes.

Imagine RM Dawson alongside cream, buttery yellow, peach, apricot, and soft pink dahlias. Its evolving color offers plenty of opportunities for interesting combinations throughout the growing season.

Plants reach approximately 5½ feet tall, making RM Dawson a substantial presence in the garden. Sturdy staking or other support is recommended to protect the plants and their developing flowers.

Introduced in 2026, RM Dawson is still relatively new to commercial production. Detailed cultivar-specific information about stem strength, productivity, and measured vase life is not yet well established.

What we do know is that its breeder selected it for those beautifully fluffy flowers and their distinctive progression from orange to gold.

For gardeners who appreciate warm colors, romantic flower forms, and dahlias that bring a little variety to the season, RM Dawson is an exciting addition to the cutting garden.

At a Glance

• Variety: RM Dawson

• Flower Form: Small Informal Decorative (BB ID)

• Color Classification: Bronze (BR)

• Bloom Size: Up to 5 inches

• Color: Soft orange transitioning toward warm golden tones

• Plant Height: Approximately 5½ feet

• Cut Flower Use: Suitable for consideration in warm-toned floral designs

• Introduction Year: 2026

• Country of Origin: United States

Breeder Information

Breeder: Hailey Sly
Breeding Farm: River Merle Farm
Location: Olympia, Washington
Country of Origin: United States
Introduction: 2026

RM Dawson is an original introduction from River Merle Farm, the Washington-based breeding program operated by Hailey and Mike.

The farm develops distinctive new dahlia varieties through its own hybridizing work, releasing them under the RM prefix.

Introduced in 2026, RM Dawson is distinguished by its fluffy Informal Decorative flowers and the gradual color transformation from subtle orange to golden tones.

Moose's Take

I've always been a little suspicious of people who change their minds too often.

But apparently, when a dahlia does it, we call it a desirable characteristic.

RM Dawson starts out orange and gradually decides that gold might be a better look. And you know what? I'm perfectly fine with that.

Those big, fluffy petals give it a wonderfully relaxed appearance, and I really like the idea of having a variety that changes its color palette as the season moves along.

At 5½ feet tall, this isn't exactly a shrinking violet, either.

It's more like that friend who shows up to the barbecue wearing orange, disappears for a while, and comes back wearing gold.

Nobody knows why.

Everybody agrees it works.

And somehow, the dahlia pulls it off better than the friend ever could.