Here are the excellent Dahlia types:
Single Dahlias
Single dahlias have open-centered flowers, with only one row of ray florets and the margins flat or nearly so, regardless of the number of florets.
Examples are:
- Pequot Yellow
- Purity
Mignon
Mignon is a single dahlia, the plants of which approximate 18” inches in height.
Examples are:
- Coltness Gem
- Torquay Gem
Orchid-Flowering Dahlias
Flowers as in Single Dahlias excepting that the rays are more or less tubular by the involution of the margins.
Examples are:
- Dahliadel Twinkel
- Imp
Anemone Dahlias
Anemone Dahlias have open-centered flowers, with only one row of ray florets regardless of form or number of the florets, with the tubular disc florets elongated, forming a pincushion effect.
Examples:
- Croix du Sud
- Robijn
Collarette Dahlias
Collarette Dahlias have open-centered flowers, with only one row of ray florets.
It also has an addition of one or more rows of petaloid, usually of a different color, forming a collar around the disc.
Examples are:
- Sparkle
- Tribune
Peony Dahlias
Peony Dahlias have open-centered flowers with 2 to 5 rows of ray florets with or without the addition of smaller curled or twisted floral rays around the disc.
Examples:
- Susan Coe
- The U.S.A
Incurred Cactus Dahlias
Incurred Cactus Dahlias have double flowers, with the margins of most of the floral rays fully revolute for one-half or more of their length.
The tips of their rays are curving toward the center of the flower.
Examples are:
- Crowning Glory
- Goulburn
- Miss Ohio
Straight Cactus Dahlias
Straight Cactus Dahlias have double flowers, with the margins of most of the floral rays fully revolute for one-half their length or more.
The rays are straight that are slightly incurved or recurved.
Examples are:
- Marietta E.
- Miss Belgium
- Zenith
Semi-Cactus Dahlias
Semi-Cactus Dahlias have fully double flowers, with the margins of most floral rays fully revolute for less than half their length and the rays broad below.
Examples are:
- Amelia Earhart
- Edith Wilkie
Formal Decorative Dahlias
Formal Decorative Dahlias have fully double flowers, with the margins of the floral rays slightly or not at all revolute.
The rays are generally broad, either pointed or rounded at tips, with outer rays tending to recurve and central rays tending to be cupped.
And the majority of all floral rays are in a regular arrangement.
Examples are:
- Commando
- Five Star General
- Haslerova
- Jersey Beauty
Informal Decorative Dahlias
Informal Decorative Dahlias have fully double flowers, with the margins of the majority of the floral rays slightly or not at all revolute.
The rays are generally long, twisted, or pointed and usually irregular in arrangement.
Examples are:
- Glamour
- Jane Cowl
- Joan Ferenz
Ball Dahlias
Ball Dahlias have fully double flowers, ball-shaped or slightly flattened, floral rays that are blunt or round at tips and quilled.
It has margins that are involute for more than half the length of the ray in a spiral arrangement, and the flowers are 4” inches or more in diameter.
Examples are:
- Mary Helen
- Rosy Dawn
- Supt. Amrhyn
Miniature Dahlias
All dahlias that normally produce flowers that do not exceed 4” inches in diameter, pompons excluded. They are classified according to the previous descriptions.
Examples of Miniature Single:
- Fugi San
- Prince of Bulgaria
Examples of Miniature Peony:
- Bishop of Llandaff
- Pink Lassie
Examples of Miniature Semi-Cactus:
- Little Diamond
- Snowsprite
Examples of Miniature Formal Decorative:
- Buckeye Baby
- Little Lemon Drop
- White Fawn
Examples of Miniature Informal Decorative:
- Chico
- Jubilant
- Rapture
Example of Miniature Ball:
- Dusky
Pompon Dahlias
Pompon Dahlias have the same characteristics as Ball Dahlias but are not more than 2” inches in diameter for show purposes.
Examples are:
- Atom
- Betty Malone
- Ila
- Johnny
Dwarf Dahlias
This term, Dwarf Dahlias, applies to plant size without regard to the characteristics of the blooms.