Semi-Cactus

‘Kenora Sunset’
Ray florets curl underneath lengthwise
for less than half their length. ‘Kenora
Sunset’

Cactus
The top color of the ray florets roll under

‘Taratahi Lilac’
to form a point. To be classified a cactus
type, the ray floret must curl more than
half its length. ‘Taratahi Lilac’

Growing dahlias Laciniated

Ray florets are split, giving an overall

‘Al Almand’
fringed effect. ‘Al Almand’
by James Romer
Ball
Dahlias are native to the mountainous region of Mexico. Ray florets curl upward to form a tube.

‘Puget Joy’
The 3-inch specimens discovered by Swedish botanist Individual flowers are rounded. Blooms
Anders Dahl most likely consisted of one row of ray range from 3½ inches across and up.
florets—mistakenly termed petals—surrounding yellow ‘Puget Joy’
center disc florets. While this single type dahlia is still
grown today, the flowers now range up to 16 inches Miniature Ball
across and are available in many colors except green, Same characteristics as the ball, only

‘Lisamore Moonlight’ ‘Ruddy’

brown, and true blue. The American Dahlia Society smaller (2 to 3½ inches). ‘Ruddy’
recognizes 15 official colors: white, yellow, orange, pink,
dark pink, red, dark red, lavender, purple, light blend, Pompon
The smallest dahlia type. These can be up
bronze, flame, dark blend, variegated, and bicolor. to 2 inches across and resemble the ball
Flower size is distinguished by letter or name as follows. dahlias, but differ in size and are more
AA___________________Over 10 inches in diameter globular in shape. ‘Lisamore Moonlight’
A____________________ 8 to 10 inches
Stellar

‘Alloway Candy’
B____________________ 6 to 8 inches
BB___________________4 to 6 inches Ray florets are narrow and roll upwards
Miniature____________ 2 to 4 inches with a slight recurve to the stem.
Ball _________________ Over 31 ⁄ 2 inches ‘Alloway Candy’
Miniature Ball _______ 2 to 31 ⁄ 2 inches
Pompon______________Up to 2 inches Waterlily

‘Cream Beauty’
Mignon Single________Up to 2 inches Florets cup upwards just as true
waterlilies do. ‘Cream Beauty’

Dahlia types Peony

The American Dahlia Society currently recognizes 18 Resembles a double flower having several

‘Powder Gull’
flower forms or types. rows of ray florets, but the yellow disc
florets are showing. ‘Powder Gull’
Formal Decorative
‘Formby’s Perfection’

Anemone
Relatively flat ray florets are uniformly A distinctive dahlia having one row of ray
‘Alpen Blaze’

placed in the same direction forming a florets surrounding elongated disc florets.
hollow globe. ‘Formby’s Perfection’ ‘Alpen Blaze’

Collarette
Informal Decorative A row of ray florets with a collar of
‘Ivory Palaces’

Wavy or twisted ray florets have a petaloids, or half petals, surrounding the
random placement. ‘Ivory Palaces’ yellow disc flowers in the center. ‘Mars’
‘Mars’

PM 1925 Revised April 2008

Single Before planting, drive a sturdy support—such as a metal
One row of ray florets surrounding fence post or wooden stake—into the ground. Doing
yellow disc florets. ‘Bashful’ this prior to planting ensures that the tubers will not be

‘Bashful’
damaged. To plant tubers, dig a hole about 6 to 8 inches
Mignon Single deep on either side of the support. Place the tuber hori-
Similar in form to the single but on a zontally in the ground. Then place soil back in the hole.

‘Rembrandt’
much shorter plant (12 to 24 inches) The dahlias should emerge in about 2 weeks.
with smaller flowers. ‘Rembrandt’

Orchid Growing tips

One row of ray florets curl upward to “Feeding” dahlias is a 2-step process. About a week
form long tubes surrounding the center before planting, work an appropriate amount of a

‘Christmas Star’ ‘Honka’

yellow disc florets. ‘Honka’ complete fertilizer (5-10-5 or 5-10-10) into the planting
area. Repeat in July.
Novelty Open
Additional types of open-centered dahlias As the plants grow, carefully tie them to the support with
that do not fit into any established yarn, thick cotton cord, or baling twine. Fishing line,
categories. These cultivars will show wire, and other narrow materials should not be used.
a yellow disc center at peak stage.
‘Christmas Star’ After the dahlias reach a height of 10 to 12 inches, they
need an inch of water per week. Mulching with grass,
‘Akita’

Novelty Fully Double straw, or pine needles conserves moisture and keeps the
Additional types of dahlias that do not fit developing tubers cooler. Use a soaker hose for efficient
into any established categories. These cultivars should watering.
have no yellow disc florets showing at peak stage. ‘Akita’
To get the best bloom, remove two sets
Planting tips of axillary buds located beneath the main
Dahlias perform best in full sun and well-drained soil; bud on either side of the stem where
they may rot in wet, poorly drained soils. Tuberous roots the leaves meet. If left on the plant, the
radiate out from the dahlia crown like the spokes of a axillary buds will develop and flower.
wagon wheel. Viable tubers must have an eye originating However, the quality of the bloom is
from the crown portion, plus a neck that connects the reduced and weaker stems result. Dead-
Before
crown to the body of the tuberous root. For earlier heading by removing spent blooms also
blooming, plant dahlia tubers in 8-inch standard pots in promotes additional flowering.

Fall care
After a killing frost, remove the brown
foliage and stems but leave the tuberous
roots in the soil an additional 1 to 2
After
weeks to “cure.” Dig with a potato fork
Disbudding
or sand shovel and label each clump. improves blooms
Wash off as much soil as possible and remove the rest
early April. Fill pots about half-full with a commercial, of the stalk down to the crown. Washing helps keep
sterilized potting mix or make your own by combining the storage media clean and reduces the risk for insect
equal amounts of sphagnum peat, perlite, and sterilized damage. Let the tubers sit until they are dry to the touch
soil. Place the tuber horizontally on the soil mix and (usually about one day), then place clumps upside down
cover with 1 to 2 inches of soil mix; water thoroughly. in boxes and cover with vermiculite, sphagnum peat, or
When growth emerges, place pot in full sun.Plants can wood shavings. Store the boxes in the coolest part of the
remain in pots or be transplanted to the garden. house, preferably between 40° and 55°F.

Frost can damage or destroy the plants so do not plant

outdoors too early. Wait until May 5 to 10 in southern
Iowa, May 10 to 15 in central Iowa, or after May 20 in
northern Iowa.
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Insect and disease problems Thrips—Individual thrips are typically barely visible on
Dahlias can be bothered by certain insect pests and the blossoms. They can fly and run rapidly, making them
diseases. However, the damage may or may not be severe very difficult to catch. Damage is noticeable as white
enough to warrant control methods, depending on your flecks on the flowers. Control is possible using contact
tolerance for imperfection. insecticide.

Aphids—Curled leaves with a sticky glistening film Powdery Mildew—While unsightly,

on the foliage indicates the likely presence of aphids. powdery mildew is seldom fatal. It
Plant vigor is reduced. Spray plants with water or check thrives in stagnant air with relative
insecticide labels for appropriate rates and application. humidity levels above 60 percent and is
more prominent late in the season.
Leaves have a whitish-gray appearance
Corn Rootworm Beetles
and become distorted, then wilt, and
(northern, southern, western)—
drop. Fungicide sprays act as a
Larvae feed on the root of corn Powdery mildew
preventative, not a curative solution. If on dahlia foliage
plants and emerge in July. Adults
growing plants for show, it may be necessary to spray
feed on corn tassels and silks.
every 10 days from the end of June through the middle
Once both sources dry (usually
of September.
in August), the beetles migrate to
other feeding locations, including Southern corn rootworm beetle on
‘Edge of Gold’
Virus—Diagnosing a virus problem is
dahlia petals. In Iowa, the northern corn rootworm
often misleading if based on symptoms
beetle is the most common. They are solid green,
alone. Plants may show a variety of leaf
whereas the western has stripes and the southern has
mottling patterns, necrotic and ring
black spots on green. Control is difficult to impossible
spots, and bubbling or distorted leaves,
and is limited to screening or frequent applications.
stem streaking, stunting, and wilting.
Infected plants also can be carriers
Grasshoppers—Nymphs and adults chew on all plant
without showing any symptoms. Viruses Virus on dahlia
parts, producing holes in the foliage and flowers. They
cannot be controlled with pesticides. foliage
are easiest to catch in the morning hours when they are
Remove infected plants and discard away from the site.
less active.
Do not add infected plants to compost pile.
Japanese Beetles—These voracious 3⁄8- to 1⁄2-inch
pests chew on petals. One adult female beetle can lay Enjoying dahlias as cut flowers
200 to300 eggs in the soil. Japanese beetle is the adult For longer vase life, cut dahlias in late evening or early
stage of the white grub. Control is the same as for corn morning. Choose flowers that are fully open and do
rootworm beetle. not show a green center. Do not cut if back petals are
starting to turn brown. Remove any leaves that would be
Slugs—Damage is most likely on new plantings during under water. Blooms may last up to a week if vase water
cold, wet springs. Slug baits are available at garden is changed every three days.
centers.
Smaller dahlias, such as pompons and miniatures, hold
their shape and color after drying. Use silica gel and
Spider Mites—Fine webbing on foliage is often the first follow package directions.
indication of these barely visible pests. Fine stippling on
upper surface of leaves leads to overall bronzing of the
leaves. Plant vigor is reduced. Spider mites can be con-
trolled by spraying plants three or four times a week
with a forceful spray of water or a soapy water solution
(1 tablespoon liquid dishwashing soap to 1 quart water).
‘Blended Beauty’

‘Lavender Ice’

‘Gay Princess’

Miticides are also available; check labels for rates and

application.
A green center is a sign Do not cut if back The ideal dahlia has
of immaturity. petals are starting to a good, tight center
brown. (top). A blown center
indicates overmaturity
(bottom).

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Tips for showing dahlias
• Fill containers with water the day before show.
“Dayold” water is closer to air temperature and also loses
some fluoride that may be present in tap water.
• Include two sets of leaves with flower.
• Position the stem in a narrow-necked container so
the bloom shows at a 45° angle. Plastic wrap, wooden
wedges, newspaper strips, Styrofoam, or other materials
can help anchor the stem in the bottle neck.
• Stem length should be in proportion to flower size;
thus miniatures are shown with shorter stems and larger
flowers are shown with longer stems. Sources JS Dahlias
57295 CR 35
Alpen Gardens
• If growing a variety specifically for show, consider 12010 N.E. Flett Road Middlebury, IN 46540
Gaston, OR 97119 (574) 825-5132
removing misshapen buds because they will develop into www.jsdahlias.com
(503) 662-3951
misshapen flowers. www.alpengardens.com
Mingus Dahlias
Arrowhead Dahlias 7407 N.E. 139th Street
P.O.Box 814 Vancouver, WA 98662
Platteville, CO 80651 (360) 573-2983
(970) 785-6014 www.dahliasuppliers.com/
www.arrowheaddahlias.com mingus/index.htm

Clack’s Dahlia Patch Mohawk Dahlia Gardens

5585 North Myrtle Road P.O. Box 898
Myrtle Creek, OR 97457 Marcola, OR 97454
Good bud Misshapen bud Misshapen center (541) 863-4501 (541) 933-2733
www.cruger.com/cddahlia.html www.dahlias.net/htmbox/
mohawk.htm
Check these Web sites for more
Connell’s Dahlias
information 10616 Waller Road East Swan Island Dahlias
995 N.W. 22nd Ave.
Tacoma, WA 98446
American Dahlia Society— (253) 531-0292 Canby, OR 97013
www.dahlia.org www.connells-dahlias.com (800) 410-6540
www.dahlias.com
Dan’s Dahlias
ISU Extension Distribution Center— 994 South Bank Road
www.extension.iastate.edu/store Oakville, WA 98568
(360) 482-2406
https://www.shop.dansdahlias.
ISU Horticulture— com
www.yardandgarden.extension.iastate.edu
No endorsement of companies or their products is
Questions also may be directed to ISU Extension Hortline intended, nor is criticism implied of similar companies
by calling (515) 294-3108 during business hours or their products not listed.
(10 a.m.–12 noon, 1 p.m.–4:30 p.m. Monday–Friday), This institution is an equal opportunity provider. For the full
or by contacting your local ISU Extension office. non-discrimination statement or accommodation inquiries, go to
www.extension.iastate.edu/diversity/ext.
If you want to learn more about horticulture through File: Hort and LA 2-1

training and volunteer work, ask your ISU Extension

office for information about the ISU Extension Master
Gardener program.

Prepared by James Romer, extension horticulturist, and Diane Nelson,

extension communication specialist. Photographs by Don Wishart, American
Dahlia Society, Ben Lawrence, and Andrew Miller. Design by Donna Halloum
and illustration by Jane Lenahan, Creative Services, Instructional Technology
Center.
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