Dahlias are popular summer favorites. Easy on the eyes and a breeze to grow, it's no wonder this fabulous flower makes the list of flowering plants of both ornamental gardeners and flower aficionados.
About Dahlias
Dahlia flowers are perennial plants (meaning, plants that live longer than two years) native to Mexico. As a matter of fact, it was declared as the country's national flower in 1963. Botanists from Spain discovered dahlias as a wildflower growing on the side of the hills of Mexico during the early 16th century, although historians suggest that based on unearthed paintings and illustrations ancient civilizations have known and have been growing it to either consume or as a medicinal herb.
Akin to the sunflower, daisy, chrysanthemum, and zinnia, which all belong to the Asteraceae family of flowering plants, they are known for their big blooms, which can range from five centimeters or up to 30 centimeters in diameter, commonly called the dinner plate dahlias.
Different Kinds of Dahlias
Because of several species of dahlia and over a thousand hybrids and cultivars to date, it is almost impossible to classify them all. In 1962, this dilemma prompted an international group of botanists and dahlia aficionados, backed by British, Dutch, and American Dahlia Societies, to create standard classification criteria according to dahlia's unique botanical characteristics.
Below we've listed down all 14 groups along with some varieties (which names are pretty creative) that fall under each one. Check it out.
But in 2010, the International Register, the National Dahlia Society of UK, and the Dutch Dahlia Authorities formed 14 groups of classifications for dahlias.
- Single dahlias -Bonne Esperance, Happy Single First Love, Sweetheart,
- Anemone dahlias - Comet, Evita, Goldie Gull
- Collerette dahlias - Bride's Bouquet, Clair de Lune, Christmas Carol
- Waterlily dahlias - Bracken Ballerina, Cameo, Carolina Moon
- Decorative dahlias - Fiesta, Pink Ribbon, David Howard, Cafe au Lait
- Ball dahlias - Wizard of Oz, Jowey Linda, Odyssey
- Pompon dahlias - Franz Kafka, Ms Kennedy, Dutch Baby
- Cactus dahlias - Good Earth, Orfeo, Sure Thing,
- Semi-cactus dahlias -Aloha, Cream Moonlight, Happy Boy
- Miscellaneous dahlias-Akita, Ellen Houston, Samantha
- Peony dahlias -Classic Swanlake, Fascination, Bishop of Auckland
- Fimbriated dahlias -Apache, Promise, White Lace
- Star dahlias (previously known as Single Orchid dahlia) -Honka, Sophie Taylor, Hy Scent
- Double orchid dahlia- Pink Giraffe, Jescot Julie, Tohsuikyoh
Different Colors and Sizes of Dahlias
With dahlias, the possibilities are endless, especially when it comes to sizes and colors. There are giant-, large-, medium-, small-, and miniatured-flowered dahlias.
The colors can be crazy too. Dahlias come in nearly any color and any shade imaginable, including:
- Yellow – primrose, mimosa, straw, lemon, amber yellow
- Orange – saffron, cadmium, apricot, tangerine, Indian orange
- Red – cherry, claret rose, currant red, vermilion
- Pink – salmon, peach, orient pink, shell pink, azalea pink, coral pink, Venetian pink, french rose, porcelain rose, delft rose, empire rose
- Purple – beetroot purple, maroon, petunia purple, imperial purple, royal purple, amethyst violet
- Lilac – mauve, heliotrope, lilac, and lavender
And the list goes on! Plus, dahlias can also come in blends (two or more colors combined), bicolored (the ground color is tipped with another color), and variegated (ground color is striped or splashed with another color).
With countless options to choose from, it seems that even if you pick a different dahlia every single day for a year, you still won't run out of choices! Fancy a dahlia? Head on to our Floral Arrangements page today and see what we've got in store for you! Send dahlia flower arrangements.
Orchid Republic also offers customizable floral subscription packages and same-day flower delivery in Los Angeles and Orange County.
Express love with flowers and plants. Check our collections and easily order dahlias at Orchid Republic Floral Boutique!