# Dahlia

Dahlias are stunning flowers that come in many shapes and sizes! They bloom in summer and are loved for their vibrant colors.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Gardens and flower beds

![Dahlia](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771424271/objects/4910.jpg)

## Appearance

The Dahlia has remarkably diverse flowers, showcasing petals in almost every color except true blue and black. Its blooms range from tiny pompoms to giant 'dinner plate' sizes, with intricate forms like spiky cactus petals or perfectly rounded balls, making each one a unique floral masterpiece.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Family:** Asteraceae
- **Genus:** Dahlia

## Interesting facts

- Dahlias are Mexico's national flower, celebrated for their beauty and history!
- Some dahlia flowers can grow as big as a dinner plate, over 30 centimeters wide!
- The Aztecs used dahlia tubers as a food source and even for medicine!
- They come in almost every color imaginable, except a natural true blue!

## Special abilities

- **Rooted Resilience:** Dahlia can store energy in its thick, tuberous roots, allowing it to survive winter and regrow year after year.
- **Pollinator Magnet:** Dahlia has diverse flower shapes and colors that help it attract many different bees and butterflies for pollination.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 30-200 cm
- **Spread:** 30-100 cm
- **Flower Size:** 5-30 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Summer to Fall
- **Edible:** Yes
- **Toxicity:** Mild
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** Honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Gathers nectar and pollen
- **Pollinates:** Painted lady butterfly (*Vanessa cardui*) — Feeds on nectar from blooms
- **Eats:** Grey field slug (*Deroceras reticulatum*) — Consumes leaves and young shoots
- **Eats:** Black bean aphid (*Aphis fabae*) — Sucks sap from stems and leaves

## Traits

- [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons.
- [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.
- [Ornamental](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ornamental): Ornamental plants are cultivated primarily for their aesthetic appeal, enhancing landscapes and gardens with their attractive foliage, flowers, or form.
- [Summer Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/summer-blooming): Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished.
- [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense.
- [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
- [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces.

## Collections

- [Flowers](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/flowers)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Explore with care and ask an adult if you’re unsure what to do.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Dahlia?

Count the petals where you can, then compare the flower's center, its symmetry, how the blooms are grouped and the leaves below. Color varies between garden varieties and shifts with the light. Flower Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Dahlia?

30-200 cm

### How wide does Dahlia spread?

30-100 cm

### How big are the flowers on Dahlia?

5-30 cm

### When does Dahlia bloom?

Summer to Fall

### Is Dahlia edible?

Yes

### Is Dahlia toxic?

Mild

### What is Dahlia's lifecycle?

Perennial

## Where to spot

- [Elbauenpark Magdeburg](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/elbauenpark-magdeburg) — Sachsen-Anhalt, DE · Park
- [Volkspark Potsdam](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/volkspark-potsdam) — Brandenburg, DE · Park
- [Clara-Zetkin-Park (Leipzig)](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/clara-zetkin-park-leipzig) — Sachsen, DE · Park
- [Dornburger Schlossgärten](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/dornburg-castle-gardens) — Thüringen, DE · Park
- [Großer Garten (Hannover)](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/grosser-garten-hannover) — Niedersachsen, DE · Park
- [Ostdeutscher Rosengarten Forst (Lausitz)](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/ostdeutscher-rosengarten-forst-lausitz) — Brandenburg, DE · Park

[View all places to see Dahlia](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/dahlia)

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Dahlia: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/dahlia)