Michel Caron presents lovers of beautiful gardens the dahlia, a very particular plant that the Aztecs called chichipatli Where acocopatli and of which they consumed daily tubers. During the time of the Aztecs (XIVe-XVIe centuries), this plant probably only had four or five varieties with single flowers. The dahlia takes its name from botanist Swedish Anders Dahl, who introduced it to Europe in 1789. Little by little, he conquered our continent by arousing passions.
At the beginning of the XIXe century, the dahlia became so sought after, especially in its purple colors, that it fetched very high prices. This fashion also allowed a few traders to make a fortune! Its single or double flowers are adorned with all colors, except blue. Its height varies from 20 cm to 1.20 m. Its stems are born in clumps and its roots are tubers. In France, horticulturalists produce five million tubers each year, over an area of 55 ha, of which around 50 are in Anjou. This production is to be compared to that of the Netherlands which covers 450 ha, that is to say eight times more! Rationalization of cultivation has made it possible to achieve, for certain varieties of dahlia, very specialized mass production at reduced costs and therefore to set affordable selling prices.
A conservatory garden dedicated to the dahlia
For more than 80 years, there has been a Société française du dahlia (SFD) which, every other year, organizes a major event in a town in France, including an exhibition and a competition. This association has created a Dahlia conservatory garden in Flamanville, in Manche, which was approved as a “national collection” in December 2008 by the Conservatory of Specialized Plant Collections (CCVS). This garden brings together and perpetuates the collections scattered throughout the territory, by managing 1,000 different varieties of dahlia! Its objective is to save varieties threatened with rapid disappearance, whether French, Belgian, German, Dutch or American, and to keep them in good condition.
The dahlia, a flower appreciated for its diversity of colors and shapes
Appreciated for its ornamental qualities, the dahlia is a successful bulb whose multifaceted flowers in a thousand colors can decorate many spaces. Whether in beds for large varieties, in borders for mediums or in pots for dwarfs, the dahlia thrives in many gardens.
In this file, we present the main varieties of dahlias and many tips for choosing tubers. You will have all the keys to maintain your plants. Finally, the elements that can degrade your dahlias as well as multiplication will not be forgotten. Good reading.
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