These magnificent flowers we enjoy today can be traced back to the native Dahlias still growing in the mountains of Mexico and Guatemala. The history of many plants can be traced through primitive records containing facts as well as mythical legend. In the case of the Dahlia, it is known that there was extensive material but it was assumed to be unscholarly and was destroyed by those who brought Christianity to the people of Central America. Some information was recorded and kept by the Spanish conquistadors who conquered the Aztecs in the 16th Century. They conducted explorations of plant life and were especially enthralled by the species Dahlia imperialis (photo on the right). It is a huge plant growing from 12’ – 20’ high with hundreds of open-centered single blooms on large hanging stems. Because of its imposing size, this species is known as the ‘tree dahlia’. The hollow stems are 4” thick and were used as vessels to hold water … natives referred to the plant as ‘water cane’. They also used Dahlias as a herbal treatment for epilepsy.
It was not until the 18th Century that Dahlia seeds, roots and plants made their way to Europe by way of the Royal Botanical Gardens in Madrid. At first the Dahlia was looked at as a possible source of food because a disease in the early 1840’s had destroyed the French potato crop. After tasting the Dahlia tubers, they quickly gave up on that idea although substance obtained from tubers has been very useful medically in the treatment of diabetes and liver and kidney disease. Many botanists were taken with these plants from the new world and hybridizing and creation of new cultivars was well under way by the end of the 18th Century.
Dahlias are a composite flower and come in all colors except true blue. Within this color range you will find a wide combination of bicolors and variegation. There is also extreme variation in forms of the Dahlia from the most familiar Decorative and Cactus styles to Novelty types with unique characteristics. Blossom size ranges from a petite 1” to the eye-catching 12” blooms known as ‘dinner plates’. Over 200 years of interest in Dahlia hybridizing has resulted in over 20,000 varieties with more becoming available each year.
Dahlias are recognized chiefly by their form which is the nature of their flower shape (and sometimes size). In 2010, after much discussion on botanical characteristics, the International Dahlia Register deemed there to be 14 Classification Groups relating to Form.
