Dahlia imperialis

Dalia del árbol / Tree Dahlia

Dahlia imperialis

Regions: Mexico to Colombia

Winter dormant

Dahlias are one of the most popular cut flowers used by florists and floral designers internationally. There are 42 species of Dahlias, all originating in Mexico, with a handful of species extending south to Colombia. There are thousands of hybrids of Dahlias, with greatly diverse coloring and elaborate flower forms. This plant, Dahlia imperialis, is the largest known Dahlia species, reaching tree-like heights of 20 feet or more. In Nahautl (the language of the Aztecs, and still spoken today by over 1.7 million people), this species is called acocotli, meaning water-pipe, as the long hollow stems could be used for transporting water.