Dahlia belongs to the Dahlia genus.

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Dahlias are native to Mexico and Central America. They were introduced to Europe in 1872 and have since been subjected to intense hybridization in order to create the thousands of named cultivars enjoyed by modern gardeners. Flowers come in many forms, from miniature pompoms to foot-wide “dinnerplates,” with colors ranging to just about anything short of blue. Scientifically speaking, dahlias have eight sets of chromosomes as compared to the two sets found in most plants, which explains the extraordinary diversity of types.

Plants can be propagated from seed, cuttings, or tuber divisions (with the warning that since most named varieties of dahlia are hybrids, saved seed is unlikely to come up true to the parent plant). Dahlias grown from seed should produce tubers that can be dug up and stored for the winter in areas with hard frost.

In the spring, stored (or purchased) tubers should be planted 4 – 6” deep after danger of frost has passed. Wait until leaves appear before watering. Taller varieties require staking—especially those with large blooms.

For more information, try The Colorado Dahlia Society.

• Lifecycle The lifecycle that this plant exhibits. Perennial Category The basic category that this plant belongs to. Flower
• Hardiness How frost hardy this plant is. Tender Country of Origin Where this plant originated from. Mexico
• Mature Height How tall the plant will be when it grows up. ? Mature Spread How wide the plant will be when it grows up. ?
• Bloom Time When this plant usually blooms. Mid Summer Harvest Time When this plant is usually harvested. ?

How to keep this plant happy

In zones below 8, dig and store tubers after first hard frost.

• USDA Zone Range The zones that this plant is recommended to grow best in. 8 - pH Range The level of acidity that this plant thrives in. -
• Water Requirements The amount of water that this plant likes to drink. Medium Nitrogen Requirements The amount of nitrogen that should be present in the soil. Low
• Soil The type of soil that this plant likes to live in.
  Combination Silt
  Sun The type of light that this plant likes to sunbake in.
  Full Sun Partial Sun
• Min. Air Temperature The lowest air temp that this plant will be happy in. ? Max. Air Temperature The highest air temp that this plant will be happy in. ?

Sowing and Germinating Instructions

Do not exclude light.

• Can Sow Direct? Can seeds be sown directly in situ? Yes Sowing Depth Seeds should be sown at this depth. 1.0 cm / 0.39"
• Sowing Distance Apart This plant should be sown at least this distance apart 30.0 cm / 11.7" Sowing Row Distance Apart This plant should be sown in rows at least this distance apart 30.0 cm / 11.7"
• Min. Germination Temperature The lowest temp that this plant will germinate from seed. 20°C / 68°F Max. Germination Temperature The highest temp that this plant will germinate from seed. 25°C / 77°F

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Planting Out / Transplanting Instructions

Prefers full sun.

• Planting Distance Apart Seedlings should be planted this far apart. 30.0 cm / 11.7" Planting Row Distance Apart Rows between plantings should be at least this far apart. 30.0 cm / 11.7"

How long does it approximately take to grow?

• Days to Germination From seed to seedling days Average days | Min days | Max days (0)
• Days to Transplant From seedling to transplant / planting out + 60 days
• Days to Maturity From transplant to harvest / maturity of plant + days Total Growing Days From seed to maturity = days

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When should I start sowing and growing?

• When to sow The number of days to sow before or after your last frost date. 60 days before Last Frost Date When to plant out The number of days to plant out before or after your last frost date. 0 days after Last Frost Date

Etymology

Named for 18th century Swedish botanist Anders Dahl.

Folklore

Other Names