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Garden Dahlia (Dahlia pinnata), whole plant
  • Garden Dahlia — close-up of leaves and flowers
  • Garden Dahlia — seasonal appearance
  • Garden Dahlia in a garden setting

Garden Dahlia

Dahlia pinnata

Medium · Some experience

About Garden Dahlia

Dahlia pinnata is the wild ancestor of the modern garden dahlia, a tuberous perennial producing an incredible diversity of flower forms — from small pom-poms to dinner-plate blooms over 30 cm across, in every color except blue. Native to the highlands of Mexico and Central America, it grows from 60 cm to over 2 meters depending on variety. The tuberous roots must be lifted in cold climates before frost. With over 57,000 registered cultivars across 14 official flower forms, dahlias offer unmatched variety. They bloom from midsummer until frost, providing late-season garden color.

  • Edible
  • Cut-flower
WATER
Wants wet
Keep moist
LIGHT
Full sun
6+ hrs direct
HARDY
Hardy to 10°F (-12°C)
USDA hardiness zones 8–11

How to care for Garden Dahlia

Watering

  • Springevery 5 days
  • Summerevery 3 days
  • Fallevery 7 days
  • Winterpause watering

Soil · Well-draining

  • Main mixLoam + coarse sand 3:175%
  • DrainageGravel25%

Sharp drainage matters most — bulbs rot in wet soil while dormant.

FERTILIZER

Bloom Booster 10-52-10

A phosphorus-forward feed fuels abundant blooms, with just enough nitrogen and potassium to keep foliage and roots steady.

N14%P72%K14%
  • Nitrogen · Leaves
  • Phosphorus · Roots + Blooms
  • Potassium · Strength
  • Springevery 21 days
  • Summerevery 21 days
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At a Glance

  • NativeNorth America
  • Height1–6 ft (0.3–1.8 m)
  • Spread1–3 ft (0.3–0.9 m)
  • Flower colorRed, Pink, Orange, Yellow
  • Foliage colorGreen, Red
  • SoilLoamy, Well-drained, Rich
  • LocationsYard

Bloom time

BLOOM CYCLE

Peak bloom

Jul–Nov

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

Blooms midsummer to frost; pinch tips for bushier growth; stake tall varieties

Fragrance

NO FRAGRANCE

Not notably fragrant.

Toxicity

Pets Slight

unidentified sesquiterpene lactones

Not reported

EXPOSURE No exposure route is reported.

EFFECT Tubers are historically edible and no significant toxicity.

NOTE No toxicity is reported for humans in this catalog; this is not evidence that the plant is edible or harmless.

Slight

  • Leaf
  • Stem
  • Flower
  • Ingestion

EXPOSURE Eating leaves, stems, and flowers.

EFFECT Mild GI upset, dermatitis from sap and per ASPCA.

NOTE Generally low toxicity; skin contact may cause dermatitis in sensitive individuals.

Slight

  • Leaf
  • Stem
  • Flower
  • Ingestion

EXPOSURE Eating leaves, stems, and flowers.

EFFECT Mild GI upset, dermatitis from sap and per ASPCA.

NOTE Generally low toxicity; skin contact may cause dermatitis in sensitive individuals.

Educational information, not medical or veterinary advice. If exposure is suspected, contact a doctor or veterinarian.

DISTRIBUTION

Garden Dahlia · Native
  • Native
  • Introduced
  • North America

History

Illustrated historical scene for Garden Dahlia

Dahlia pinnata is native to the mountains of central and southern Mexico, where the Aztecs cultivated multiple Dahlia species for their edible starchy tubers, which they called cocoxochitl. Spanish botanists at the Royal Botanical Expedition to New Spain sent tubers to the Royal Gardens in Madrid in 1789, where Director Antonio Cavanilles named the genus after Swedish botanist Anders Dahl. Aztec hopes that the tubers would be Europe's new potato crop did not pan out — the taste was deemed poor — but the flowers caused an immediate sensation, and by 1810 European breeders had begun crossing the wild species to produce the vast range of modern dahlia cultivars.

Mexico named the dahlia its national flower in 1963. Moderately toxic to pets.

Spanish conquistadors brought dahlias to Madrid's Royal Botanical Garden in 1789 — initially as a food crop, but the tubers tasted terrible to European palates. Today, the American Dahlia Society recognizes over 57,000 named varieties — more than almost any other flower.

Symbolism & meaning

What It Symbolizes

The Garden Dahlia is the very flower of elegance, and with more than fifty-seven thousand registered forms, no two blooms need ever speak the same dialect of refinement. From pompons to dinner-plate decoratives, every dahlia is a unique expression of cultivated beauty, an heirloom of Mexican origin shaped by centuries of breeders' attention. In the late-summer border, dahlias remind the gardener that elegance is not a single style but a vast vocabulary, generously available to anyone willing to lift the tubers in autumn.

  • Elegance — With 57,000+ forms, each bloom is a unique expression of refined beauty

Where the Name Comes From

Dahlia honors Anders Dahl (1751–1789), Swedish botanist and student of Linnaeus. Pinnata means 'feather-like,' for the compound leaves.

Uses & Fun Facts

  • Starchy tubers historically eaten by Aztec peoples
  • Long-stemmed blooms star in late-summer bouquets

Related plants

More Dahlia plants

Plants with similar care

Frequently asked questions

How often should I water Garden Dahlia?

Water about every 5 days during the growing season, and always let excess water drain away.

How much light does Garden Dahlia need?

Full sun: 6+ hrs direct. Watch the leaves — scorching or stretching means the light needs adjusting.

Is Garden Dahlia toxic to cats or dogs?

Pets Slight (Dogs Slight · Cats Slight) Educational information, not medical or veterinary advice. If exposure is suspected, contact a doctor or veterinarian.

Is Garden Dahlia easy to grow?

It is moderately demanding: a good choice once you have a little experience.

When does Garden Dahlia bloom?

It typically blooms Jul–Nov in the Northern Hemisphere.

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