Ova Jo - Fall

Ova Jo is one of those dahlias that brings instant brightness to the field without feeling overly loud. The blooms open in a warm buttery yellow, then finish with crisp creamy-white tips that give each flower a fresh, almost glowing two-tone effect.

Its formal decorative form keeps the bloom full and beautifully structured, with neatly layered petals creating a polished shape. At approximately 4 inches across, Ova Jo is an incredibly useful size for cutting—large enough to carry color in a bouquet, but compact enough to work easily alongside larger focal flowers and softer garden textures.

In our market bouquets, I love using Ova Jo when I want a little sunshine without committing to a strong primary yellow. The white tips soften the color and make it surprisingly easy to pair with cream, peach, blush, soft pink, lavender, rust, and even deeper burgundy tones.

For our local florists, Ova Jo offers the kind of combination I always appreciate: interesting color, a manageable bloom size, and long, sturdy stems. Swan Island specifically highlights it as an excellent cut flower, and that stem quality makes it practical for everything from hand-tied bouquets to larger event work.

I also like it for wedding work when a palette needs warmth and brightness without becoming too bold. In softer peach-and-cream designs it feels cheerful and romantic; paired with rust and burgundy, it can help bridge summer into fall.

One of the fun quirks of Ova Jo is that, like many bicolors, it can occasionally throw a solid bloom. That little bit of unpredictability is part of what makes growing dahlias so interesting season after season.

What I appreciate most about Ova Jo is how usable it is. The color is distinctive without being difficult, the stems are strong, and the bloom size makes it easy to work into almost any kind of bouquet.

For the gardener who loves warm yellow color, crisp white accents, and a dahlia that performs beautifully as a cut flower, Ova Jo is a cheerful and dependable variety to grow.

Bloom Color: Buttery Yellow with White Tips
Bloom Form: Formal Decorative
Bloom Size: Approximately 4 inches
ADS Classification: 3015 — Bicolor Formal Decorative
Plant Height: Approximately 4½ feet
Introduced: 2015
Best For: Cutting gardens, market bouquets, florist work, weddings & exhibition