|
Dahlia
Dahlia is a genus of bushy, tuberous, perennial plants native to Mexico, Central America, and Colombia. There at least 36 species of Dahlia. Dahlia hybrids are commonly grown as garden plants. more...
Home
Bird & Wildlife Accessories
Children's Gardening Items
Fertilizer, Soil Amendments
Garden Décor
Garden Structures & Fencing
Gardening & Plants
Hand Tools, Gear & Equipment
Hydroponics, Seed Starting
Other Gardening & Plants
Outdoor Lighting
Outdoor Power Equipment
Pest & Weed Control
Planters, Pots, Window Boxes
Plants, Seeds, Bulbs
Aquatic Plants
Bonsai
Cactus & Succulents
Ferns
Flower Bulbs, Roots, Corms
Amaryllis
Caladium
Crocus
Daffodil
Dahlia
Gladiolus
Hyacinth
Iris
Lily
Mixed Lots
Other Bulbs, Roots, Corms
Peony
Tulip
Flower Plants, Seedlings
Flower Seeds
Groundcovers, Vines
Herbs
Houseplants
Orchids, Tropicals
Ornamental Grasses
Other
Roses
Shrubs
Trees
Vegetables & Fruits
Publications
The Aztecs gathered and cultivated the dahlia for food, ceremony, as well as decorative purposes , and the long woody stem of one variety was used for small pipes.
In 1872 a box of Dahlia roots were sent from Mexico to the Netherlands. Only one plant survived the trip, but produced spectacular red flowers with pointed petals. Nurserymen in Europe bred from this plant, which was named Dahlia juarezii with parents of Dahlias discovered earlier and these are the progenitors of all modern Dahlia hybrids. Ever since, plant breeders have been actively breeding Dahlias to produce thousands of cultivars, usually chosen for their stunning and brightly coloured flowers. Dahlia plants range in height from as low as 12" (30cm) to as tall as 6-8 feet (180-240cm). The flowers can be as small as 2" (5 cm) or up to a foot (30 cm) in diameter. The great variety results from Dahlias being octoploids (they have eight sets of homologous chromosomes, whereas most plants have only two).
Dahlias are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Angle Shades, Common Swift, Ghost Moth and Large Yellow Underwing.
The dahlia is named after Swedish 18th-century botanist Anders Dahl. Until recently they were also named in Germany as "georgine" by the botanist Carl Ludwig Willdenow, after the naturalist Johann Gottlieb Georgi of St. Petersburg.
Bloom forms
The American Dahlia Society recognizes 19 distinct bloom forms:
Formal Decorative;
Informal Decorative;
Straight Cactus;
Semi Cactus;
Incurved Cactus;
Laciniated;
Ball;
Mini Ball;
Pom;
Waterlilly;
Stellar;
Novelty Fully Double;
Novelty Open Center;
Anenome;
Single;
Collerette;
Orchid;
Mignon Single;
Gallery
Here are some photos of dahlias:
Read more at Wikipedia.org
|
|