The Basics

Did you know that the dahlia is the national flower of Mexico?  This is no surprise as the accepted origin of the Dahlia is from the South American peninsula.   Dahlia's come in a variety of colors, shapes and sizes.  The following sections will cover the keywords used throughout this site to describe the individual flowers we offer.

1. Color
2. Form
3. Size
4. Glossary of Terms

We also have the "ADS Guide to Growing and Caring for Dahlias" from the American Dahlia Society for $3.50.

BLEND

Two or more colors which gradually merge but are distinguishable from a distance of six feet.

CENTRAL RAYS

The short immature ray florets comprising the central portion of the fully double flowers when at their prime stage.

DISC

A more or less flat, circular group of tubular florets fully visible in open-centered type Dahlias.

DISC FLORETS

Small tubular florets which make up the central part of the flower head, each with a pistil and stamens but generally no other conspicuous flower parts.

DWARF

Dahlia varieties which normally do not produce plant growth over 24 inches in height.

FIMBRIATED

The split or fimbriation should be in proportion to ray floret length, and be no less than 1/6 of ray floret length, there should be a twisting in the area of the split involute or revolute ray florets, to give an overall fringed effect.

FLORET

One of the small flowers which collectively comprise the flower head.

FULLY DOUBLE

Flower heads with multiple rows of ray florets; the disc florets are immature and completely covered by the central rays when the flower is at its prime stage.

INCURVED

The ray florets curve forward along their length toward the face of the flower head.

INVOLUTE

Margins of the ray florets roll forward along their longitudinal axis. When fully involute the margins touch or overlap so only the reverse of the floret is visible.

MARGIN

The edge of the ray floret and the area adjacent.

MARGINAL RAYS

Fully developed ray florets which establish and determine the maximum diameter of a flower, as distinguished from the immature central rays.

PETAL

The common name for the conspicuously colored part of a floret.

PETALOIDS

Additional floral parts on ray florets having the form and appearance of smaller petals. Most noticeable in the Collarette Dahlias.

RAY FLORET

One of the broad, conspicuously colored florets, the structure of which suggests a single petal of an ordinary flower. These form the radiating border in the open-centered type dahlias, or massed together, the flower head in fully double types.

RECURVED

The ray florets curve backward along their length toward the stem.

REVOLUTE

Margins of the ray floret roll backward along their longitudinal axis. When fully revolute, the margins touch or overlap.

STRAIGHT

The ray florets have little or no curvature throughout their length.