Dahlias: Types, Cutting for Bouquets and Growing

Dahlias are the stars of late summer and autumn: from tiny pompons to "dinner plate" blooms over 20 cm across, in every shade except true blue. Here are the main types of dahlias, how to cut them so a bouquet lasts longer, and how to grow them and store the tubers until next season. More flowers with photos, names and meanings are in our types of flowers guide.

Autumn bouquets with seasonal flowers can be found among our chrysanthemums and spray roses.

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Where dahlias come from and why they have two names

Dahlias are native to the mountains of Mexico and Central America; since 1963 the dahlia has been Mexico's national flower. The genus name Dahlia honours the Swedish botanist Anders Dahl, while the name used in Ukrainian and Russian (zhorzhyna, georgin) honours the botanist Johann Gottlieb Georgi. Tens of thousands of cultivars are known today.

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Main groups of dahlias

Garden classifications group dahlias by flower form. The most popular groups:

• Peony-flowered — semi-double, several rows of broad petals and a visible centre.
• Ball — dense double spheres 8–15 cm across.
• Pompon — small, perfect balls up to 5 cm that last well in bouquets.
• Collerette — an outer row of large petals and a "collar" of short petals in another colour.
• Anemone-flowered — an outer row of flat petals around a cushion of tubular florets.
• Cactus and semi-cactus — narrow, pointed, rolled petals.
• Waterlily — flat blooms resembling a water lily.
• Decorative — the largest group, including giant "dinner plate" varieties.

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Dahlias in bouquets

• Cutting. Cut early in the morning when blooms are 3/4 open: dahlia buds hardly open after cutting.
• Hollow stems. Dip the ends in hot water (about 80 °C) for 20–30 seconds, then move to cool water — the stems will drink better.
• Water. Shallow, clean, with cut-flower food; change it daily.
• Vase life. Dahlias are short-lived cut flowers: 4–7 days. Pompon and ball types last longer than large decoratives.

Dahlias pair well with roses, asters, chrysanthemums, hydrangeas, amaranthus, grasses and eucalyptus. They often star in autumn bouquets and late-summer weddings.

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How to grow dahlias

• Site: sunny, sheltered from wind, with fertile, well-drained soil.
• Support: tall varieties need a stake, put in at planting time so the tubers are not damaged.
• Watering: infrequent but deep; waterlogging rots the tubers.
• Pinching: pinching out the tip above the 3rd–4th pair of leaves gives more stems for cutting.
• Deadheading keeps the plant flowering longer.

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FAQ

Are there blue dahlias?

No. Dahlias lack blue pigment; "blue" dahlias in photos are dyed or retouched.

Why do dahlias wilt quickly in a vase?

They are cut too open or the hollow stems are not treated. Hot water and daily water changes extend vase life.

When should I lift the tubers?

After the first light frost blackens the foliage — usually in October.

Author: Maria Svitlovir

Graduated from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Institute of Biology and Medicine (2001). BSc in Biology, MSc in Horticulture. Writes about plants, works at a garden centre selecting and repotting plants, and contributes to plant reference guides.

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