Find a plant:


{name}

OR Browse All Plants


Genus Dahlia

Dahlia Dahlia 'Kaiser Wilhelm' Photo/Illustration: Scott Kunst
DAL-ee-ah
Dahlia are easy-to-grow, tuberous-rooted, often bushy perennial with flowers from midsummer to first frost. They have straight stems and attractive, feathery, toothed, mid- to dark green leaves. Distinctive flowers come in a variety of forms, colors, and patterns. Cultivars are classified according to bloom size and petal formation.
 Noteworthy characteristics: Garden dahlias are descendants of D. pinnata and D. coccinea, species native to Mexico and Central America. Leaves are pinnate, sometimes pinnatifid to pinnatisect, divided into oval leaflets with toothed margins and rounder tips. Use in massed plantings, edging a border, or in containers. A great cut flower.
 Care: Grow in rich, well-drained soil in full sun, and with regular moisture. Apply a high-nitrogen liquid fertilizer weekly in early summer, then a high-potassium liquid fertilizer weekly from midsummer to early autumn.
 Propagation: Usually by division. Can also be grown from seed and from rooted cuttings.
 Problems: Stem borers, caterpillars, earwigs, cucumber beetles, capsid bugs, flower thrips, planthoppers, cutworms, slugs, snails, spider mites, and aphids may be troublesome. Powdery mildew, impatiens necrotic spot, dahlia mosaic viruses, smut, fungal leaf spots, soft rot, crown gall, blossom blights, and tomato spotted wilt virus can cause damage as well.

Species, varieties and cultivars for genus Dahlia

Dahlia 'Jersey Beauty' Dahlia 'Jersey Beauty'
 Be the first to rate this plant
Hardiness Zones: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

The 20th century's most celebrated dahlia is 'Jersey Beauty'. This towering, 4- to 6-foot-tall 1920s classic will produce so many lively, true-pink, classic dahlia flowers that you can cut all you want and still have a great garden display. This selection is exceptionally vigorous and beautiful.
Dahlia 'Kaiser Wilhelm' Dahlia 'Kaiser Wilhelm'
 Be the first to rate this plant
Hardiness Zones: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

Of the maybe 10,000 named dahlias introduced in the 1800s—when dahlias ranked right up there with roses in popularity—only three survive. One of them is 'Kaiser Wilhelm', introduced in 1892. Its 3-inch flowers have neatly curled petals of soft custard-yellow brushed with burgundy, and a green button eye just like that of an old rose. The plant can grow to 5 feet.
Dahlia 'Kidd's Climax' Dahlia 'Kidd's Climax'
 Be the first to rate this plant
Hardiness Zones: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

The pink-and-cream dinner-plate-sized 'Kidd's Climax' of 1947 has 10-inch flowers atop 4-foot-tall plants.