And of the many dahlia types, dinnerplates are perhaps the most attention-grabbing. You certainly wouldn’t want to plant them if your vibe is more “look over there” than “look at me.”

If you don’t mind turning heads, though, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better option.

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But dinnerplate dahlias need special care to keep them looking their finest. These aren’t plants you can just toss in the ground and forget about if you want them to look their best.

This guide will help you to make that happen. With this goal in mind, here’s what we’re going to discuss:

If you live in Zones 8 to 10, you can grow these as you would your typical perennial. If you live in a cooler USDA Hardiness Zones, you’ll need to dig up and protect the tubers during the winter.

If you’re ready to add this “wow” factor to your garden, you’re probably rarin’ to go. Without further ado, let’s dig in!

Cultivation and History

Dahlias were originally cultivated as a food crop in Mexico. These plants are related to sunflowers and Jerusalem artichokes, and the tubers can be incredibly tasty.

When explorers brought dahlias back to Europe they intended to grow them as a food crop there, but they never caught on. Or, at least they never caught on as an edible.

As ornamentals, dahlias were a bona fide winner.

Those flower-breeding superstars, the Belgians, started creating the first dinnerplate dahlias in the early 1800s. By the 1920s, dahlias were all the rage in the US and Europe, and many new dinnerplates were bred.

Of those,

Asteraceae flowers plants soil gardening dahlias Kristine Lofgren Usa Mexico Belgium city Jerusalem