Dahlia
68853
225477621
2008-07-13T22:12:30Z
Rivertorch
1938168
/* Judged Shows */ kill the evil apostrophe
{{otheruses}}
{{Taxobox
| name = ''Dahlia''
| image = DahliaDahlstarSunsetPink.jpg
| image_width = 200px
| image_caption = ''Dahlia'' 'Dahlstar Sunset Pink'
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
| divisio = [[Flowering plant|Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[Dicotyledon|Magnoliopsida]]
| ordo = [[Asterales]]
| familia = [[Asteraceae]]
| genus = '''''Dahlia'''''
| subdivision_ranks = [[Species]]
| subdivision =
''30 species, 20,000 cultivars''<br/>
}}
'''''Dahlia''''' is a [[genus]] of bushy, [[tuberous root|tuberous]], [[perennial plant]]s native to [[Mexico]], [[Central America]], and [[Colombia]]. There at least 36 [[species]] of Dahlia. Dahlia [[Hybrid (biology)|hybrid]]s are commonly grown as [[garden]] plants. The [[Aztec]]s gathered and cultivated the dahlia for food, ceremony, as well as decorative purposes <ref>[http://arnoldia.arboretum.harvard.edu/pdf/articles/1705.pdf Harvard Arboretum]</ref>, and the long woody stem of one variety was used for small pipes.
In [[1872]] a box of Dahlia roots were sent from [[Mexico]] to the [[Netherlands]]. Only one plant survived the trip, but produced spectacular red flowers with pointed petals. Nurserymen in Europe bred from this plant, which was named ''[[Dahlia juarezii]]'' with parents of Dahlias discovered earlier and these are the progenitors of all modern Dahlia hybrids. Ever since, plant breeders have been breeding Dahlias to produce thousands of [[cultivar]]s, usually chosen for their stunning and brightly coloured flowers. Dahlia plants range in height from as low as 12" (30cm) to as tall as 6-8 feet (180-240cm). The flowers can be as small as 2" (5 cm) or up to a foot (30 cm) in diameter. The great variety results from Dahlias being [[octoploid]]s (they have eight sets of homologous chromosomes, whereas most plants have only two).
Dahlias are used as food plants by the [[larva]]e of some [[Lepidoptera]] species including [[Angle Shades]], [[Common Swift (moth)|Common Swift]], [[Ghost Moth]] and [[Large Yellow Underwing]].
The dahlia is named after [[Sweden|Swedish]] 18th-century botanist [[Anders Dahl]]. Until recently they were also named in Germany as "georgine" by the botanist [[Carl Ludwig Willdenow]], after the naturalist [[Johann Gottlieb Georgi]] of St. Petersburg.
==cultivar==
Dahlia 'Dahlstar Sunset Pink' is a miniature ''[[Dahlia]]'' [[cultivar]] with pink [[flower]]s that shade to yellow in the centre. Height and spread are 15 cm.<ref>The Botanical Magazine by Nihon Shokubutsu Gakkai, Published 1970 Tokyo Botanical Society</ref>
==Bloom forms==
The [["American Dahlia Society"]] recognizes 19 distinct bloom forms:
* Formal Decorative
* Informal Decorative
* Straight Cactus
* Semi Cactus
* Incurved Cactus
* Laciniated
* Ball
* Mini Ball
* Pom
* Waterlilly
* Stellar
* Novelty Fully Double
* Novelty Open Center
* Anenome
* Single
* Collerette
* Orchid
* Mignon Single
==Gallery==
Here are some photos of dahlias:
<gallery>
image:ADELAIDEFONTANE.jpg|''Dahlia'' 'Adelaide Fontane'
image:AKITA.jpg|''Dahlia'' 'Akita'
image:APPLEBLOSSOM2.jpg| ''Dahlia'' 'Appleblossom'
image:ARABIANIGHT.jpg|''Dahlia'' 'Arabian Night'
image:ARTDECO.jpg| ''Dahlia'' 'Art Deco'
image:ASAHICHOHJI.jpg|''Dahlia'' 'Asahi Chohji'
image:ASPEN.jpg|''Dahlia'' 'Aspen'
Image:Dahlias.JPG|Dahlia display, Walcha show
image:AURORASKISS.jpg|''Dahlia'' 'Aurora's Kiss'
Image:Dahlia 'Heat Seeker' 01 Pengo.jpg|''Dahlia'' 'Heat Seeker'
</gallery>
==Judged Shows==
Dahlias are often grown for judged shows. Awards are given for best in class and best in show. Traditionally, dahlias grown for shows have used intensive application of pesticides and inorganic fertilizers. More recently, however, competitive dahlia growers have used organic methods with equally good results.<ref>[http://www.newsday.com/news/local/longislandlife/ny-lfcov0504,0,7701329.story Irene Verag “Greener gardening”, [[Newsday]], July 13, 2008]</ref>
==References==
{{reflist}}
==See also==
* [[List of dahlia diseases]]
==External links==
*[http://www.national-dahlia-collection.co.uk The United Kingdom National Dahlia Collection]
*[http://www.dahlia.org American Dahlia Society]
*[http://www.nzdahliasociety.50megs.com The National Dahlia Society of New Zealand]
*[http://www.homegardenguides.com/wiki/Dahlia Dahlia] Flower Care
*[http://www.theflowerbulb.com/plants/Dahlia.php Info about care for dahlias]
**[http://www.ibiblio.org/pfaf/cgi-bin/arr_html?Dahlia+rosea&CAN=LATIND ''Dahlia rosea'' at pfaf]
**[http://www.ibiblio.org/pfaf/cgi-bin/arr_html?Dahlia+pinnata&CAN=LATIND ''Dahlia pinnata'' at pfaf]
*[http://www.dahlia.com/gallery2/ Gallery of Dahlia Images]
*[http://www.dahlia-nds.co.uk/Specie_Dahlia.htm Dahlia species]
*[http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=3910964&query_hl=2 The medicinal and nutritional properties of Dahlia spp.]
{{commonscat|Dahlia}}
[[Category:Asteraceae]]
[[Category:Crops originating from the Americas]]
[[Category:Flowers]]
[[Category:Flora of Mexico]]
[[Category:Garden plants]]
[[Category:Plants named after people]]
[[ar:داليا (زهرة)]]
[[bg:Далия]]
[[da:Dahlia]]
[[de:Dahlien]]
[[el:Ντάλια]]
[[es:Dahlia]]
[[eo:Dalio]]
[[fr:Dahlia]]
[[id:Dahlia]]
[[it:Dahlia]]
[[he:דליה]]
[[ka:გეორგინა]]
[[lt:Jurginas]]
[[hu:Dália (virág)]]
[[nl:Dahlia]]
[[ja:ダリア]]
[[no:Georginer]]
[[nn:Georgine]]
[[pl:Dalia (roślina)]]
[[pt:Dahlia]]
[[ro:Dahlia]]
[[ru:Георгина]]
[[sl:Dalija]]
[[fi:Daaliat]]
[[vi:Thược dược]]
[[tr:Yıldız çiçeği]]
[[ur:ڈہلیا]]
[[bat-smg:Jorgėns]]
[[zh:大麗菊]]