Flower of the Month – January 2019

Name: Dahlia

Other names: All around the world they are known simply as a Dahlia. Some gardeners refer to the Dahlia as the “queen of the autumn garden” because they last from mid-summer to the first frost.

Colours: White, Yellow, Orange, Pink, Purple and Red

Family: Asteraceae (Aster) along with daisies and sunflowers Genus: Dahlia

Availability:  December to March

What’s in a name:  The Dahlia is name after Swedish 18th-century botanist Andreas Dahl who discovered it growing in Mexico. Andreas thought of the Dahlia as a vegetable rather than a garden flower. Apparently it tastes like a cross between carrot, celery and potatoes. Interest changed from the edible tubers to the flowers when the first varieties with large, double flowers were bred in Belgium in 1815.

Some interesting facts: The dahlia signifies dignity and elegance. The flower also stands for diversity - most flowers have two genes however the dahlia has eight!

Why we love it: Dahlias come in many colours, shapes and sizes (up to the size of a dinner plate) meaning there is a Dahlia right for just about every occasion!