The Dahlia flower, native to Mexico and South America, blooms in the warm months of spring and summer.
The flower was named after botanist Anders Dahl but has many aliases in other cultures. In Japanese, the flower is known as “Peony of India.” Its double-petal forms are as elegant, magnificent and graceful as the precious peony flower in China’s dynastic courts.
In days past, the Aztecs used dahlia in ceremonies and as a source of food and medicine; they even made small pipes from its stems. In the 16th century, the plant was brought to Europe as a food crop, but it wasn’t long before Europeans developed an even deeper appreciation for its vivid floral blooms. It was said during those days, a good dahlia could be traded for a diamond.
Richly colorful, Dahlias are associated with an air of ease, elegance,magnificence and even auspiciousness. Dahlia flowers come in a range of colors: red, yellow, orange, purple, pink, white and variegated shades.
The dahlia was declared the national flower of Mexico in 1963. Dahlia is also the official flower of San Francisco.
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