Choosing Dahlias For Planting

Are you stuck choosing dahlias for planting? If yes, then this post is for you. Just keep reading…

Dahlias grow in a wide range of colors and forms. Horticulturalists classify dahlias based on several fine distinctions. But this classification is mainly done on the basis of dahlia flowers. For this, experts resort to the shape of the flower and the arrangement of petals, etc.

But would a common gardener have to look for so many nuances while choosing dahlias for his garden or pots? Wouldn’t this be a bit more difficult? Is there an easy way to know which dahlias are right for our garden?

Here we will talk about some easy ways to make it easier for you to choose the right dahlias for planting.

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Why Choosing the Right Dahlias Is a Challenge

For those who don’t know much about dahlias, choosing the right dahlia for the garden or container can be more difficult than just growing and caring for it. This is because there are many varieties of this flowering plant.

The beautiful flowers of dahlias come in every color imaginable. Dahlias have a color scheme for every arrangement, from light pastels to warm, vibrant hues. Along with this they also come in a range of sizes. From small marigolds to the size of a dinner plate like a lily.

For better classification, the ADS has classified dahlias into three groups on the basis of Colors of Dahlia Flowers, Shape of Dahlia Flowers, and Size of Dahlia Flowers for better classification. You can easily choose your dahlias from these three classified groups. But sometimes it is not that easy for everyone. People are often confused about which flower they should choose.

Selection of dahlias based on use

Choosing the right dahlias for a gardener is challenging on one hand and an opportunity on the other. So why not see it as an opportunity.

You have to go through your imagination and think about how you want to decorate your garden/house with dahlia flowers. This will help you to choose the variety of dahlia according to your needs and preferences.

For ease of selection, we’re dividing dahlias into Large, Medium, and Small groups based on flower size (and plant size).

Big Dahlias

They are about 3 to 4 feet long. The most famous dahlias in this group are the dinner plate dahlias. In which there are two flowers with a diameter of 10 to 12 inches. 

In terms of usage, you can plant these behind or alongside the borders of other large perennial shrubs or flowers. These large dahlias offer beautiful views during late summer and early fall. 

Some examples of Big Dahlias are

• Thomas Edison Dinnerplate Dahlia,
• Brigitta Alida Dinnerplate Dahlia,
• Dazzling Sun Dinnerplate Dahlia,
• Black Jack Dahlia, etc.

Medium Dahlias

Many gardeners refer to the medium dahlia as the border dahlia and this is because of its compact size. These are 1 to 2 feet tall plants.

These dahlias look quite attractive as a mixed perennial bed with other perennials, such as phlox, sedum, and California poppies. Interestingly, all border dahlias can be grown in containers and this gives you new options for decoration.

Examples of Medium Dahlias are

• The Dutch Carnival Dahlia and
• Dahlegria Tri-Colore Dahlia.

Choosing Small Dahlias

The height of these plants is 10 to 20 inches. These plants remain compact and bloom for a long time. If you are considering a window box, then the choice of small dahlias would be perfect. You can use them to plant in pots and planters. It is also useful to put it on the edge of a border. 

Examples of Small Dahlias are

• Gallery Mix Dahlias,
• American Pie Dahlia, and
• Topmix Salmon Dahlia.

Back to Main Article   Go back to learn About Dahlia In Detail.