Dahlia's

Birth Month: August

The Dahlia is named in honor of a Swedish botanist Anders Dahl and originates in Mexico. It was brought to Europe during the 18th century by Spanish explorers.

There are tens of thousands of different types of Dahlias which have been made possible by the fact that the Dahlia has eight genes that control its appearance while most other flowers only have two.

Dahlias have been hybridized into various heights from short bedding plants to tall bushy ones. The term "Dinnerplate Dahlia" is probably the most famous description. The always-double flowers are up to 20 cm, sometimes up to 25cm across, so the nickname makes sense.

Dahlias are grown from bulbs, or more correctly from rhizomes. The bulbs can be planted in most types of soil as long as the soil is not too wet.

To give the Dahlia a longer vase life use a sharp knife and put a tiny hole into the stem, just under the water line. This will let air out and force the water to go higher.