Cornel Confetti
a Restoring Eden co-op introduction
releasing in 2026
Cornel Confetti Stats
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A classic BA (Ball) form with tightly arranged, recurved petals that create a uniform, rounded silhouette. The geometry maintains the variegation's readability on every curve, making each bloom appear impeccably finished in the garden and in arrangements.
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The color is variegated. The petal base is a light blend of peachy bronze with a softly glowing yellow center, animated by ribbons and specks of Cornel Red and the occasional lavender ribbon, a nod to Caitlin’s Joy. The effect is festive yet refined—like confetti tossed over warm sunlight. Natural variation means every bloom is a one-of-a-kind.
ADS Color Classification: (V) Variegated
Petal base: BR-1 to YL-11
Variegated: DR-3 and LV-5 -
Each bloom averages around 3.5" inches in diameter, often a touch larger in cool spells.
Compact enough for bouquet balance, substantial enough to hold its own. The size and Ball form make it an easy “recipe” flower for florists and bouquets of any style. -
A tidy 3.5–4' with sturdy, cut-worthy stems and a productive habit. Also, excellent in mid-border placements and highly cooperative for harvesting.
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Robert Sarniak
True Love Florals, Lowell, MI
The Story
In 2018, a single, unexpected bloom appeared in Robert Sarniak’s dahlia field among a long row of Cornel. Because of the complex nature of dahlia genetics, every now and again, a natural sport (mutation) can occur. For an entire season, this new dahlia showing the familiar bronze-peach tone, stood out among the row, enlivened with ribbons and flecks of Cornel red, a glowing center, and, every so often, a lavender Caitlin’s Joy–style streak.
Unsure if it was a one-off anomaly, Robert isolated the clump and replanted. Season after season, the pattern returned. The mesmerizing form of the ball dahlia now met and colliding with the eye-capturing uniqueness of variegated patterns. No two blooms the same.
Now, in its seventh year of observation, this sport has proven itself worth keeping—and sharing.
After meeting Robert in 2024, and seeing the bloom first hand, we decided to partner in the naming and release. Paying homage to the original Cornel line of dahlias, together we grew Cornel Confetti on two separate farms in Michigan, watching its character hold: compact Ball form, lively 3.5″+ blooms, and that unmistakable confetti of color over a warm peach-bronze base. It sits confidently within the Cornel family (Cornel, Cornel Bronze, Caitlin’s Joy, Isabel, Ivanetti, Ghislaine, Hapet Coppery, Cornel Antique, and more), while bringing something unmistakably its own.
With gratitude to Robert—and as a Restoring Eden Co-op Introduction—we’re delighted to present Cornel Confetti: a festive salute to a long lineage of beautiful dahlias and the careful stewardship that lets a happy accident become a new and unmistakable cut-flower classic.
