Dazzling Dahlias

Right now is peak season for dahlias, late summer early fall. These amazing flowers come in an extraordinary range of colors and some dahlia blooms can be huge.  Our dahlias are grown for us by Skyline Flower Growers in California, one of this country’s premier dahlia growers.

Image

Dahlias are native to Mexico and are part of the aster family, which includes asters, gerberas, sunflowers, marigolds and black-eyed susans. In some parts of the world people eat the stems of dahlias. Can’t imagine the taste and not quite sure I want to try.

Local Connection

Dahlias are very popular in the United States and there are several dahlia societies here in Tennessee. You may even have some growing in your yard. I found an old obituary for Elbert Cooper, SR, who died in 1974 that mentioned the fact that he was an avid grower of dahlias and won many prizes for his beautiful dahlias he grew on McAdoo St. Streets throughout Tennessee are named dahlia, including one in Knoxville.

Cut Dahlia Care

Dahlias come in lots of shapes and sizes. The vase life of dahlias can range from 4 days to 10 depending on the variety. Here’s a few tips to get the most vase life out of your dahlias from Knight’s Flowers:

  • If your buying dahlias loose by the stem or bunch immediately unpack them and remove any foliage that will be underwater
  • Recut one inch of the stem with a knife or garden shears, but don’t use scissors
  • Add the flower food (at Knight’s we’ll give you bulb food, since this is better) and follow the directors on the package
  • Arrange in vase
  • Check water level every few days and add more water if needed
  • Throw away any dahlias past their prime and after 5 days the rest of the dahlias that still look pretty recut them and replenish the water
Enjoy!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.