Plant Snapshot: Dahlia

Plant Snapshot: Dahlia

By Will van Zyl

If ever there was a genus of plants that would satisfy the varied tastes of gardeners it is the dahlia. From the biggest blowsiest flowers, some more than 25cm across, to small single blooms a tenth of the size, the flower shapes and sizes vary dramatically.

There are about 14 groups of flower types with names like cactus, waterlily, anemone, pompon, paeony, collerette, fimbriated, star and double orchid, to name a few.

There is a dahlia for nearly every space in the garden from the impressive Dahlia imperialis which reaches heights between 2 and 5 metres (with the right conditions it can grow up to 9 metres), to the small Lilliput dahlias which only reach heights of about 30cm.

Dahlia Pooh

Image: Will van Zyl

Dahlias, indigenous to, and the national flower of Mexico, appeared in reports by Spanish explorers as far back as 1525 but were only brought back to Europe in the late eighteenth century. The dahlia tubers were used as a food source by the Aztecs, and some speculate that is why it was initially introduced to Europe, but then the flowers stole the show, and the dahlia passion began.

Dahlia Cha Cha

Image: Will van Zyl

Today there are over 57000 registered varieties of dahlias, and the belief is that most of them are hybrids of the first three species that arrived in Europe from Mexico.

Recently dahlias have returned to their Aztec food roots. A Swiss company brought out a range called DeliDahlias, six different flower varieties each having different flavoured tubers with hints of asparagus, parsley, fennel or celery.

Bishop Of Llandaff

Image: Will van Zyl

The beautiful flowers can be enjoyed in the garden during the summer, and when they die back in the autumn, the tubers can be harvested.

The National Dahlia Collection, based near Penzance, has over 1600 varieties and is definitely worth a visit between July and September.