Winkie Kestrel

Winkie Kestrel is a warm and beautifully colored miniature decorative dahlia bred by John Menzel of Winkie Dahlias in South Australia. Selected from the Winkie seedling patch in 2010, Kestrel became one of Menzel's personal favorites and later performed well at the 2013 Trial Grounds.

The color is particularly interesting because it can vary considerably. Blooms can range from rich golden-apricot to burnished orange, often developing deeper orange and coral tones toward the center. In our field, we've seen both ends of that spectrum—from glowing gold with an orange center to rich, nearly solid orange blooms.

Kestrel is also an excellent cutting variety. Plants are vigorous and productive, producing beautifully formed flowers on long, strong stems with good flower placement. It's an especially useful color for late-summer and fall bouquets, but it's far too pretty to limit to autumn arrangements.

Color: Apricot Orange / Burnished Orange / Gold
Form: Miniature Decorative
Plant Height: Approximately 4'
Hybridizer: John Menzel
Breeding Program: Winkie Dahlias
Origin: South Australia, Australia
Selected: 2010
Best For: Cut flowers, bouquets, floral design & garden display
Offered As: Rooted Dahlia Cutting

Moose Take: Kestrel apparently couldn't decide between gold and orange, so it chose both—and changes its mind whenever it feels like it.