From the origin of its name to a dizzyingly tall species, here are a few facts you might not know about this mysterious Mexican beauty…
1. There are 30 species and 20,000 cultivars of dahlias.
2. The plants hugely vary in size – from dwarf plants (great for bedding) to giants, including the Dahlia Imperialis found growing in the wild in Guatemala and Columbia, where it can reach a whopping 6m in height.
3. Dahlias originally hail from the high mountain regions of Mexico and Guatemala, which is why they’re pretty tough when it comes to cool, windy and wet conditions.
4. The hardiest of all are the beautiful pom-pom varieties, which make a stunning addition to any garden with their brilliant globes of colour, and will stand up to even the toughest British wind and rain.
5. The flowering plant is named after the 18-th century Swedish botanist Anders Dahl.
6. But Dahl saw the plant as a vegetable first and foremost, thanks to its edible tuber that grows under the ground. Focus on the flower arose in the 19th century when large flower varieties were grown in Belgium.
7. Contrary to the film title of the same name, there is technically no such thing as a black dahlia. The term is used as a nickname for the dark burgundy flower – a great dramatic choice for a winter wedding or a Halloween party.
8. The beautiful bloom is the official flower of the city of Seattle in the U.S.
9. Dahlia bulbs are comprised of tubers – and each tuber must have an ‘eye’ in order for the plant to sprout again the following season.
Discover more about the Dahlias origin here
