Native to Mexico and Guatemala, dahlias were declared the national flower of Mexico in 1963 and have become one of our most iconic garden flowers.
David Jack is a third-generation dahlia grower with Ferncliff Gardens in Mission, so vancouversun.com asked for his insight on why they had gained such popularity. He said that few other flowers offer such a wide range of vibrant colors and color patterns in so many flower forms and sizes. Not only do they make a great show in our gardens, but they also provide magnificent cut flowers.
The current and growing appreciation for cut dahlias is certainly verified at United Flower Growers in Burnaby, the world’s second-largest flower auction. Dahlia stems make up a significant portion of all the cuts sold at this time of year.
Jack told vancouversun.com that varieties with flower heads from the 10-20 centimeter size are ideal for florists. He also mentioned that probably 75 percent of all dahlias grown in the garden or on dahlia farms are used for bouquets. While commercial growers will often disbud small side shoots to encourage longer, sturdier stems, the home gardener can simply harvest the longest stems for a continuous supply of beautifully cut dahlias well into late summer and fall.
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