Cactus Dahlias, Semi Cactus Dahlias, Decorative Dahlias, Pompon Dahlias, Ball Dahlias, Anemone Dahlias, Collarette Dahlias, Mignon Dahlias, Single Dahlias, Peony Dahlias, Orchid Dahlias, Waterlily Dahlias, Dinner plate Dahlias
Dahlias are spectacular flowering plants native to Mexico, Central America, and Colombia. They are members of the Asteraceae family and are prized for their vibrant, ornate flowers and sturdy stems.
The rich variety of flower colors, shapes, and sizes, added to their extensive blooming season, have turned dahlias into a popular addition to our landscapes. There are thousands of varieties of dahlias (!!!), all classified by the shape, size, and color of their flowers.
Both types have double flowers with long pointed ray petals that revolute or roll back along half their length, giving the flowers a spiky look. Most cultivars reach a height of more than 40 inches.
These are double dahlias with broad, flat-tipped petals that are sometimes wavy. The flowers are normally large, and the plants easily top 40 inches tall, though there are even taller varieties. They can be formal with flat petals evenly and regularly placed throughout the flowers, or informal with generally flat petals, sometimes slightly rolled at the tips, but with irregular formation arrangement.
Pompon and Ball Dahlias feature relatively small, fully double, globe-shaped flowers with blunt or slightly rounded petals at their tips. How not to marvel at the perfect petal arrangement of these dahlias? They display an infinite swirl of florets with fold upon fold of incredibly flawless petals.
Anemone Dahlias feature an outer ring of flat ray petals arranged in a wreath and surrounding masses of tiny, elongated disk florets, which form an intriguing floral pincushion. Collarette Dahlias are small to medium flowers with large flat ray petals surrounding an open center. Within the ray and surrounding the center is a wreath of shorter petals, often of a different color, forming the “collar.”
Single Dahlias feature blooms with a single row of flat or slightly cupped ray florets arranged in a flat plane, uniformly overlapping, preferably in the same direction with no gaps. The disc flowers may have up to three rows of bright yellow or orange pollen, and the blooms are over two inches in diameter (5 cm). Pollinators love these Single-Flowered Dahlias! If you want to provide something special for bees, butterflies, or other pollinating insects still active in late summer of fall, choose a Single Dahlia!
Mignon Dahlias possess the same formation as Single Dahlias, except they have round ray floret tips, their disc flowers have no more than two rows of pollen, and their blooms are under two inches in diameter. Perfect for small gardens or container display, Single Dahlias include the highly prized Dark-Leaved Dahlias with their masses of stunning flower colors, which contrast strikingly with their deep mahogany-to-black foliage. Effect in the garden guaranteed!
Peony Dahlias are open-centered flowers with two or more rows of petals surrounding a disc. For many years the most popular Peony-flowered dahlia was a cultivar called D. ‘Bishop Llandaff’, an heirloom variety that dates back to 1927. It has open deep-red flowers with nearly black mahogany foliage.
Orchid Dahlias are also open-centered flowers with one ray of florets surrounding a disc (Single Orchid) or a fully double bloom showing no disc (Double Orchid). The florets involute for two-thirds or more of their length.
This diverse group includes all varieties that do not fall into one of the above groups.
Hardiness |
8 - 11 |
---|---|
Heat Zones |
1 - 11 |
Climate Zones | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 |
Plant Type | Bulbs, Perennials |
Genus | Dahlia |
Exposure | Full Sun |
Season of Interest |
Summer (Mid, Late) Fall |
Height |
1' - 6' (30cm - 180cm) |
Spread |
1' - 2' (30cm - 60cm) |
Spacing |
18" - 24" (50cm - 60cm) |
Maintenance | Average |
Water Needs | Average |
Soil Type | Clay, Loam, Sand |
Soil pH | Acid, Alkaline, Neutral |
Soil Drainage | Moist but Well-Drained |
Characteristics | Cut Flowers, Showy |
Attracts | Butterflies |
Landscaping Ideas | Beds And Borders, Patio And Containers |
Garden Styles | City and Courtyard, Cutting Garden, Informal and Cottage |
WeStudio, Shutterstock
Hardiness |
8 - 11 |
---|---|
Heat Zones |
1 - 11 |
Climate Zones | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 |
Plant Type | Bulbs, Perennials |
Genus | Dahlia |
Exposure | Full Sun |
Season of Interest |
Summer (Mid, Late) Fall |
Height |
1' - 6' (30cm - 180cm) |
Spread |
1' - 2' (30cm - 60cm) |
Spacing |
18" - 24" (50cm - 60cm) |
Maintenance | Average |
Water Needs | Average |
Soil Type | Clay, Loam, Sand |
Soil pH | Acid, Alkaline, Neutral |
Soil Drainage | Moist but Well-Drained |
Characteristics | Cut Flowers, Showy |
Attracts | Butterflies |
Landscaping Ideas | Beds And Borders, Patio And Containers |
Garden Styles | City and Courtyard, Cutting Garden, Informal and Cottage |
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Create a membership account to save your garden designs and to view them on any device.
Becoming a contributing member of Gardenia is easy and can be done in just a few minutes. If you provide us with your name, email address and the payment of a modest $25 annual membership fee, you will become a full member, enabling you to design and save up to 25 of your garden design ideas.
Join now and start creating your dream garden!