The Aztecs used them to treat epilepsy, and employed the long hollow stem of the Dahlia imperialis for water pipes. They were used as a source of food by the indigenous peoples, and were both gathered in the wild and cultivated. Spaniards reported finding the plants growing in Mexico in 1525, but the earliest known description is by Francisco Hernández, physician to Philip II, who was ordered to visit Mexico in 1570 to study the "natural products of that country". Attempts to introduce the tubers as a food crop in Europe were unsuccessful. The tubers were grown as a food crop by the Aztecs, but this use largely died out after the Spanish Conquest. The dahlia was declared the national flower of Mexico in 1963.
Like most plants that do not attract pollinating insects through scent, they are brightly colored, displaying most hues, with the exception of blue. The majority of species do not produce scented flowers. The stems are leafy, ranging in height from as low as 30 cm (12 in) to more than 1.8–2.4 m (6–8 ft). In addition, dahlias also contain many transposons-genetic pieces that move from place to place upon an allele-which contributes to their manifesting such great diversity. This great variety results from dahlias being octoploids-that is, they have eight sets of homologous chromosomes, whereas most plants have only two. Flower forms are variable, with one head per stem these can be as small as 5 cm (2 in) diameter or up to 30 cm (1 ft) ("dinner plate"). There are 42 species of dahlia, with hybrids commonly grown as garden plants. A member of the Compositae (also called Asteraceae) family of dicotyledonous plants, its garden relatives thus include the sunflower, daisy, chrysanthemum, and zinnia. Divide tuber with a sharp knife making sure each division has an 'eye.' Store in a cardboard box filled with sawdust/shavings, peat moss or sand.Dahlia ( UK: / ˈ d eɪ l i ə/ or US: / ˈ d eɪ l j ə, ˈ d ɑː l-, ˈ d æ l j ə/) is a genus of bushy, tuberous, herbaceous perennial plants native to Mexico and Central America. Dig them up after the first hard frost, the plant will turn brown. Lifting - Dahlia's will not survive freezing ground. One of the biggest mistakes made with dahlias is over feeding them. First applications should be within 30 days of planting and r.
High percentage potassium and phosphorous fertilizers such as a 5-10-10, 10-20-20, or 0-20-20. Once established, water 1 -2 times a week.įertilizing - Dahlias require a low nitrogen fertilizer, such as used for vegetables.
Do not use bark dust or mulch to cover dahlias, as it does not allow the soil to warm up. DO NOT WATER TUBERS AFTER PLANTING! Wait to water until the sprouts have appeared above the ground, exception - in hot climates, where they should be watered very lightly. Planting - Lay the tuber horizontally 4-6" deep. The plant is large and may need to be staked as it will tend to fall over with the weight of foliage and flowers. This is a strong grower when in a sunny place. On Jul 29, 2005, tubbss5 from Aurora, IL wrote:
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