Content
Dahlias have reigned in our gardens since mid-summer. Their varieties, according to some sources, number more than 15,000, and the list is constantly updated. They are among the most long-flowering perennials, their beauty will not leave indifferent even the most callous heart. Dahlias are very diverse in bushes height, color, shape and size of flowers. All of them are good in bouquets, used as flower beds, curbs and container plants. If you choose the right landing site, then leaving will be easy and minimized. In this article, we will present you the best varieties of dahlias with photos and names, but this is our point of view, each person decides for himself which variety is the best for him, and, believe me, there is something to choose from.
general description
Dahlia (Dahlia) is a flowering plant that belongs to the Astrovye family, includes about 40 species and came to us from Mexico. Natural species most often reach a height of 2.5 meters, there is the species Dahlia imperialis, which grows up to 6 meters and has yellow flowers. On our plots, cultivars of Dahlia Changeable are most often grown - its numerous varieties and hybrids, and the size of the bush, depending on the variety, can be from 30 cm to 1.5 m.
Dahlia flowers
What we call a dahlia flower is actually a basket inflorescence, it consists of:
- The marginal ligulate flowers wrapped inward;
- Curled outward marginal ligulate flowers;
- Flat marginal ligulate flowers;
- Collar reed flowers;
- Opened tubular flowers;
- Tubular flower buds.
It is thanks to such a complex structure of the flower that dahlias have so many different varieties, sometimes not very similar to each other. Breeders artificially increase the number of certain flowers in the inflorescence, while others are converted into a rudimentary form or, generally, are absent.
Root system
Another common mistake is that we call the dahlia a tuberous plant. In fact, she does not have tubers, but root cones or root tubers. The tuber is a modified shoot with a thickened stem, located in the ground. The root cone is a thickened root.
Dahlia classification
There are so many varieties of this perennial that they just need to be divided into groups. We will give a photo of dahlias with the names of varieties, but for now let's try to understand their diversity.
Grouping by inflorescence size
Dahlia inflorescences can be of different sizes. It is customary to divide them as follows:
- giant - the diameter exceeds 25 cm;
- large - 20-25 cm;
- medium - 15-20 cm;
- small - 10-15 cm;
- miniature - less than 10 cm.
And here are the sizes of well-developed inflorescences on healthy plants.
Grouping by height
Before citing this classification, we note that the average growth of an adult plant will be indicated. In reality, however, it can vary greatly depending on the quality of the soil, weather, watering, top dressing. So, dahlias can be:
- tall curbs - more than 1.2 m in height;
- medium-sized curbs - 90-120 cm;
- undersized curbs - 60-90 cm;
- flower beds - less than 60 cm;
- midgets - from 30 cm and below.
International classification of dahlias
Before citing the international classification, which was adopted in 1962, we note that some countries have their own taxonomy, for example, in Russia these flowers are divided into 12 groups, in the USA - by 20, and in France - by 22. So, according to the international classification, dahlias are divided into:
- simple;
- anemone;
- collar;
- nymphaean;
- decorative;
- spherical;
- pompom;
- cactus;
- semi-cactus;
- transitional group.
Thus, border and flower bed dahlias are divided into groups, but recently a fashion for midgets has come to us from Europe and the USA - miniature flowers, most often grown from seeds and feel great as a potted crop.
Varieties according to the international classification
We will give the best varieties of dahlias, from our point of view, with photographs, but there are a lot of them, so everyone can choose a flower to their liking.
Simple
Simple dahlias differ in bush height from 45 to 60 cm, inflorescences about 10 cm in diameter, mainly consisting of tubular flowers surrounded by one row of reed flowers.
Murillo
Medium-sized variety, basket diameter - from 5 to 10 cm, color - pink, lilac, violet.
Wellow Hammer
This variety is very similar to the previous one, only the color is yellow.
Anna-Karina
Bush up to 70 cm high, snow-white flower with a yellow center.
Agnes
Dahlias are very beautiful red or crimson in color, the bush for this variety is considered undersized.
Alpen Sarah
A new variety of extraordinary beauty. Its white flower is painted with cherry touches, the height of the plant is low.
Anemone
These very popular dahlias grow in height from 60 to 90 cm. They have an inflorescence, usually not exceeding 10 cm in diameter. Along the edge there are one or more rows of reed flowers, and inside there is a disk of large tubular flowers. These dahlias got their name due to the fact that they really look a lot like anemones.
Blue Bayou
Baskets 10-15 cm in diameter. Reed flowers arranged in one row are purple, tubular flowers are purple.
Asahi Chohi
Plant height - less than a meter, tubular flowers - yellow and white, the only row of reed - white with red stripes along the edge.
Brio
Very beautiful undersized variety with red petals.
Honey
Reaches 50 cm, double flowers - about 7. The outer circle is dark pink, and the inner one is light yellow.
Collar
No description can convey the beauty of collared dahlias. They usually grow 75-120 cm in height, baskets up to 10 cm in diameter. Inflorescences have one row of reed flowers, followed by a ring of transitional "collar", and inside is a disc of tubular.
Knight Butterfly
Attractive low variety, 50-70 cm high, with maroon ligulate flowers, white collar and yellow center.
Alpen Mary Lloyd
The height of the bush is up to 1 meter, the color of the inflorescence is of different shades of crimson.
Impression Fantastico
A low-growing bush, the outer row of petals is red, the "collar" is red with white, the middle is yellow.
Fashion Monger
A very good variety. Height can reach a meter, inflorescences - 5-10 cm. The outer ligulate petals are pointed at the ends, white, with a wide smear of red-violet color in the middle, the "collar" is white, the inner disc is yellow.
Flamenco
The height of the plant is less than a meter, the outer petals are bright red, the "collar" is light yellow, almost white with red, the inner disc is yellow.
Nymphae
Nymphaean dahlias are up to 1.2 m high and flattened terry inflorescences up to 15 cm in diameter. The ligulate flowers of this group are either flat or with slightly raised edges.
Bahama Red
Bushes are high, baskets - about 8 cm, red petals with white tips.
Sedakshen
A tall flower, the size of the inflorescence is 13 cm. A very interesting variety of pink color, the middle of which and the edges of the petals are painted dark purple.
Sugar Kane
Tall bush with large baskets. Marginal flowers with raised edges, orange with white tips.
Angela
Excellent cut dahlias with a height of 120 cm with large pink inflorescences.
Decorative
Decorative dahlias grow up to 1.5 m in height and have inflorescences of 25 cm or more with wide obtuse marginal ligulate flowers.
A. Humpley
This variety can be a decoration for any bouquet. It grows up to 1.2 m, the basket is large, pink or mauve in color.
Tartan
It has very large cherry-purple flowers with a white stripe in the center and wavy petals.
Lucky Nambre
An eternal classic is a large pink dahlia.
Prince Carnival
An original light pink variety with cherry dots and tiny touches.
Spherical
Spherical and pompom dahlias are very similar and differ only in the diameter of the double inflorescence. Globular grows up to 1.2 m and have a diameter of up to 15 cm. Reed flowers are obtuse or rounded.
Antie
Classic red spherical dahlias.
Aykun
Very beautiful dahlias up to 1 meter high. The yellow petals are crowned with red edges.
Rocco
Sprawling bush with reddish-purple baskets of standard size.
Silvia
These dahlias have delicate orange-salmon inflorescences.
Annushka
A variety of domestic selection with lilac baskets.
Pompom
In this variety of dahlia, terry inflorescences in the form of a ball about 5 cm in size have curled edge flowers with a rounded or blunt top. Bushes - 75-120 cm high.
Acrobat
New popular tall variety up to 1.2 m tall. It has dense globular inflorescences with pink petals rolled into a tube.
Buntling
Bushes up to 0.9 m with dense orange spherical baskets and rolled petals.
Anke
Bush up to 1 m tall, perfectly round inflorescences, red.
Albino
A snow-white dahlia with slightly folded petals, a bush about a meter tall.
Andrew Lockwood
Bush up to 1 meter, pink baskets, dense, with petals rolled into a tube.
Cactus
These dahlias reach a height of one and a half meters. Their inflorescence is up to 25 cm in diameter and more, the marginal flowers are wrapped outward almost along the entire length, which makes them seem needle-like.
Blutenteppich
Deep pink dahlias with baskets about 15 cm in diameter, low, not even a meter high.
White Star
Very beautiful creamy white flowers up to 20 cm in diameter with needle-shaped slightly curved petals of the original shape.
Black Bird
An old reliable variety of bright red color with a burgundy middle, inflorescences about 15 cm in diameter.
Windhaven Highlight
The plant is tall - about a meter, the inflorescence is large, yellow in color.
Jessica
Tall dahlia with large inflorescences. The marginal flowers are yellow, red at the tips.
Semi-cactus
The height of the bushes is about 1.5 m, the double inflorescences are up to 25 cm or more, the marginal flowers are pointed and curled outward no more than half the length.
Aitara Success
Medium-sized dahlia up to 1 meter high, the inflorescence is colored in a harmonious combination of pale pink and light yellow.
Adlerstein
Yellow-orange large tall dahlias.
Ice Princess
A snow-white flower with a diameter of about 15 cm.
Andrew Mitchell
A red basket with a diameter of about 20 cm and a bush just below one and a half meters high.
Anna
German high grade and peach baskets up to 15 cm.
Transition group
This group contains dahlias, the inflorescences of which cannot be attributed to any of the above groups.
Bishop of Llanduff
Red flowers and purple leaves are the hallmarks of this famous cultivar.
Pink giraffe
An original variety with curved pink petals, an inflorescence of about 12 cm and a bush above a meter in height.
Lilliputians
Actually, midgets are not included in the International classification of dahlias, breeders began to pay close attention to them not so long ago. Often these flowers are grown in an annual culture from seeds, so they bloom earlier, moreover, they usually do not need to be pinched. But this does not mean that they do not form root tubers - they can be dug up in late autumn, stored in the same way as in other varieties, and planted in the ground in spring.
White midget
Compact bush with white flowers and yellow centers.
Funny boys
Rather not a variety, but a variety series of low, up to 30 cm, double and simple dahlias of a wide variety of colors, known for a long time and propagated mainly by seeds.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are many varieties of dahlias, they are very different, really for every taste. We do not pretend to have shown all the variety of varieties of this perennial. We just hope that we have aroused interest even among those who, for some reason, did not know or did not like this flower.
