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Top 40 Must-See Dahlia Flowers

Dahlia flowers add bold beauty to gardens and floral arrangements, with standout varieties like a dramatic black dahlia or a colorful dinner plate dahlia.

Dinnerplate Dahlia, Dahlia Labyrinth

Dahlia flowers are a spectacular showcase of horticultural diversity and beauty. They offer an array of forms, sizes, and colors that can captivate any gardener. From petite blooms to dinnerplate-sized wonders, dahlias provide a breathtaking display in gardens and bouquets. This curated list of the top 40 must-see dahlia flowers represents the best of these magnificent flowers, each with unique charm.

What is a Dahlia?

Dahlia is a tuberous perennial plant prized for its large, colorful blooms and an impressive variety of shapes and sizes. Native to Mexico and Central America, dahlias belong to the Asteraceae family, which includes other popular plants such as daisies, sunflowers, and asters. Dahlias are beloved in gardens for their vibrant colors and diverse flower forms, which range from small pompoms to large, dramatic dinner plate flowers.

Dahlia flowers typically bloom from midsummer until the first frost, providing extended color and beauty in the garden. They come in almost every color except true blue, with popular shades including pink, red, yellow, white, purple, and nearly black. They are popular as garden plants and cut flowers, bringing bold color to floral arrangements.

Dahlias thrive in full sun and well-drained soil and are hardy in USDA zones 8-11. In cooler zones, they are often dug up and stored indoors over winter, as they can’t survive freezing temperatures.

Why These 40 Dahlia Flowers Have Been Selected

The top 40 dahlias have been selected for their standout qualities: exceptional beauty, varied forms, and vibrant colors. These varieties encompass the breadth of what dahlias can offer, from the delicate elegance of the ‘Bishop of Llandaff‘ to the bold statement of ‘Café au Lait‘. Each has been chosen to showcase the dahlia’s versatility and the potential to transform any garden into a tapestry of color and form.

Why You Should Grow These Dahlias

Here are some great reasons to consider adding these dahlias to your landscape:

Exceptional Beauty: These dahlias come in an array of colors, shapes, and sizes, from soft pastels to vibrant reds and purples. Their large, lush blooms make them standout additions, adding elegance and charm to any garden setting.

Versatility: These dahlia flowers adapt well to different garden designs, with options for borders, containers, and cutting gardens. Dinner plate dahlias, for example, bring dramatic focal points, while smaller varieties add colorful layers to beds and borders along with companion plants.

Long Blooming Season: Dahlias bloom from midsummer through the first frost, offering continuous color when many other plants start to fade. This extended blooming season keeps your garden lively and bright well into autumn.

Attract Pollinators: Dahlias attract bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects, helping to increase biodiversity. Please note that some dahlia flowers are more bee-friendly than others.

Easy Care: Dahlias are relatively low maintenance, thriving in full sun with well-drained soil. They require occasional deadheading to prolong blooming and will reward you with vibrant flowers that return year after year if lifted and stored in cooler climates. Get expert advice on how to grow and care for thriving dahlia flowers.

Acclaimed Varieties: Some of these dahlias have been awarded the prestigious Award of Garden Merit of the Royal Horticultural Society for their noteworthy qualities.

Guide Information

Hardiness 8 - 11
Heat Zones 1 - 11
Climate Zones 1, 1A, 1B, 2, 2A, 2B, 3, 3A, 3B, 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
Plant Family Asteraceae
Genus Dahlia
Exposure Full Sun
Season of Interest Summer (Early, Mid, Late), Fall
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 Patio And Containers, Beds And Borders
Garden Styles City and Courtyard, Cutting Garden, Informal and Cottage

Top 40 Must-See Dahlia Varieties for Your Garden

Choosing Dahlia Flowers

With thousands of dahlia flowers available, there’s a dahlia to fit every garden style and preference! Dahlias are classified by flower shape, size, and color, so it’s helpful to consider these factors when selecting the right ones for your garden or landscape.

Size: Dahlia varieties vary greatly in size, from dwarf types that reach only 12 inches (30 cm) and work well in containers or front borders to tall varieties reaching 4-6 feet (120-180 cm). Taller dahlias will need staking for support, especially in windy areas.

Color: Dahlias offer an extensive color palette, from bold, vibrant reds and yellows to soft pinks and whites. Choose colors that harmonize with or highlight your garden’s existing color scheme to achieve the desired look and feel.

Shape and Texture: Dahlia flowers come in many shapes, from single, daisy-like forms to full, ruffled blooms with multiple petal layers. Cactus dahlias, with their spiky petals, add a modern touch, while peony dahlias or waterlily dahlias bring a more classic look. Consider the shape and texture of each variety to complement your garden’s style.

Pollinators: Single-flowered dahlias are especially popular for attracting pollinators like bees and butterflies. If you want to encourage more pollinators, choose single-flowered varieties with open centers.

Discover Your Ideal Dahlia with Our Plant Finder

Frequently Asked Questions

Where Do Dahlia Flowers Grow?

Dahlias are native to Mexico and thrive in temperate climates. They grow well in USDA hardiness zones 8-11, though they can be grown as annuals in cooler zones where they aren’t winter-hardy.

How Long Do Dahlias Take to Grow?

Dahlias typically take 8-12 weeks to bloom from planting, depending on the variety and growing conditions.

What Are the Best Growing Conditions for Dahlias?

Dahlias prefer full sun (6-8 hours daily), well-drained, fertile soil, and regular watering. They thrive in soil with a slightly acidic to neutral pH (6.5-7.0). Adding compost or organic matter to the soil improves drainage and nutrient availability.

How Do You Keep Dahlias Blooming?

To encourage continuous blooming, deadhead spent flowers regularly and ensure the plants receive adequate sunlight, water, and fertilizer. Pinching back the main stems also promotes branching, leading to more blooms.

Are Dahlia Flowers Poisonous?

Yes, dahlias are mildly toxic to pets, particularly dogs and cats, as well as to humans if ingested in large quantities. Symptoms are usually mild, including skin irritation or gastrointestinal upset.

Do Dahlia Flowers Come Back Every Year?

In warm climates (zones 8-11), dahlias may come back each year if left in the ground. In colder climates, tubers should be dug up and stored indoors for replanting the following spring.

Do Dahlias Like Sun or Shade?

Dahlias prefer full sun and bloom best with 6-8 hours of sunlight daily. In hot climates, they can benefit from some afternoon shade.

What Is the Rarest Color of Dahlias?

Black is one of the rarest and most striking colors in dahlias. While true black dahlias don’t exist due to lacking a black pigment, some varieties, like Karma Choc and Black Jack, come close with their dark, velvety, nearly black-red petals. These deep, dramatic tones make “black” dahlias highly sought after and unique in gardens and arrangements.

Discover These Helpful Dahlia Guides for Further Reading

Dahlia: Plant Care and Growing Guide
26 Terrific Summer Bulbs to Grow in your Garden or Pots
Dahlias with Dark Foliage
Great Perennial Plants to Grow with Your Favorite Dahlias
Most Beautiful Dinner Plate Dahlias
Decorative Dahlias
Mignon and Single Dahlias
Pompon and Ball Dahlias
Cactus and Semi Cactus Dahlias
Waterlily Dahlias
Peony-Flowered and Orchid Dahlias
Anemone and Collarette Dahlias
Best Dahlias For Cutting
Best Dahlias For Containers and Low Borders
Bee-Friendly Dahlia Flowers
Dahlia – Pests and Diseases to Watch Out For
57 Red Flowers for Every Garden Style
54 Orange Flowers To Brighten Up Your Garden with Bold Blooms
54 Black Flowers and Plants: Add Drama to Your Garden

Garden Examples

Vibrant Summer Border: Dahlia, Zinnia, Chinese Aster
A Cheerful Summer Planting Idea with Dahlia, Cosmos, Echinacea and Ammi visnaga
A Desirable Summer Border Idea with Grasses, Dahlias and Amaranth
Compare All Dahlia
Compare Now
Explore Great Plant Combination Ideas
Dahlia
Guides with
Dahlia
While every effort has been made to describe these plants accurately, please keep in mind that height, bloom time, and color may differ in various climates. The description of these plants has been written based on numerous outside resources.

Guide Information

Hardiness 8 - 11
Heat Zones 1 - 11
Climate Zones 1, 1A, 1B, 2, 2A, 2B, 3, 3A, 3B, 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
Plant Family Asteraceae
Genus Dahlia
Exposure Full Sun
Season of Interest Summer (Early, Mid, Late), Fall
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 Patio And Containers, Beds And Borders
Garden Styles City and Courtyard, Cutting Garden, Informal and Cottage
Compare All Dahlia
Compare Now
Explore Great Plant Combination Ideas
Dahlia
Guides with
Dahlia

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