Dahlia: The Name Of The Genus | Flower Profile

Dahlia

Dahlia is a genus of tuberous plants that are members of the Asteraceae family, related species include the sunflower, daisy, chrysanthemum, and zinnia. They grow from small, brown, biennial tubers planted in the spring.

Dahlia is also a member of the Asteraceae family of dicotyledonous plants, there are over 20,000 different species within the Aster family, it is the second largest family of flowering plants next to the orchid (Orchidaceae) family.

The History Of Dahlia 

The history of Dahlia were refered to 1525 in maxico, but the earliest known description is by Francisco Hernández, physician to Philip II, who was ordered to visit Mexico in 1570 to study the "natural products of that country.There are 42 species of dahlia, with hybrids commonly grown as garden plants. The flower can be as small as 5cm diameter or up to 30cm. Also, The dahlia was declared the national flower of Mexico in 1963.

Symbolize

Dahlia are often associated with various meanings that may range from messages of enduring grace to signals of warning. They symbolize elegance, inner strength, creativity, change, and dignity. They are also known to represent one who stands strong in his/her sacred values.

Nowadays, Dahlia was widely used even in economical purpose: in landscaping, in floristry as a cut flower, for the pharmaceutical industry, cosmetic, food and as raw material for the extraction of dyes. Both the tuberous roots and the flowers of this ornamental and medicinal plant are used for therapeutic purposes.