The beautiful Dahlia flower is native to Mexico and is their national flower since 1963. It belongs to the Asteraceae family and is related to the Chrysanthemum, Zinnia, and Helianthus. Long before Dahlia was admired for its beauty, the flower was grown as food by the Aztecs. But when potatoes and corn were introduced as food sources centuries ago the Dahlia was forgotten until the Swedish botanist Andreas Dahl paid attention to the flower, and named the flower Dahlia. The flower got very popular around 1830 when Empress Josephine de Beauharnais of France grew her own Dahlias. The flower is called the Houdini of the garden, due to its big range of choices in colors, sizes, and shapes. The other common nickname is Queen of the autumn garden, the season when the flower natural bloom.
Dahlia Symbolism
Dahlia has a rich symbolism: the flower stands for wealth and elegance, and also for love and involvement. It’s a perfect flower to express your love! For the Aztecs, Dahlia was a religious symbol, besides food the flower was used in different types of ceremonies. Colors, Shapes, and Availability How many beautiful colors do you want to have? There is so much choice, from the gorgeous Black Fox to Café Au Lait (peach). Every year, there is more and more choice. Not only in color, but also in petal and flowerhead shape. There are now more than 1000 species, and we can divide those into single and double flowering. Beautiful pompon and ball dahlias, or the totally different (semi) cactus Dahlias. This flower always amazes you! Normally a fall flower, but luckily for us now available from March till September.
Design Combinations with Dahlia This versatile and powerful flower is easy to combine with its bright colors and beautiful shapes. Our all-time favorite design is different types of Dahlia together in one vase, then the flowers really get the attention they deserve! But have you ever thought about using Dahlia in a floral crown? Check the design tutorial we made over here to get inspired! Another great design idea with Dahlias is this impressive bouquet. The wide range of available colors and shapes of Dahlia is great, so go crazy with it! For more combinations with Dahlias and other flowers, read this blog post. Or visit our Pinterest mood board! Shop Care Tips Dahlias are delicate flowers and sensitive to bacteria. The flowers got hollow stems, be sure you handle them with care and don’t crush them. Check the stems and flowers when you receive them on brushes. Remove excess leaves, cut the stems, and put them in cold water. Make sure there are no leaves in the water and clean the bucket/vase before use. Change the water every other day and if necessary cut the stems again.