Origin

• The dahlia, which is associated with elegance and dignity, derives its name from the surname of Anders Dahl, a Swedish botanist. The name Dahl or Dahlia actually means valley or valley flower. The name Dahlia is masculine and Scandinavian, according to Zelo.com.
  
  

Identification

• A dahlia is developed from the dahlia pinnata. It has tuberous roots and flashy, variously colored flowers heads. The dahlia is native to mountainous regions of Colombia, Central America and Mexico.
  
  

Symbolism

• The meaning of a dahlia can range from change, to a sign of warning, a portent of betrayal or travel, according to What's-your-sign.com. The dahlia is considered a wild card in respect to its meaning because of the various symbolic connotations that are attached to it. If you would like to compliment someone on his wild side, it would be appropriate to give him a dahlia. If you combine the dahlia with a tulip this means "Temper your adventures with a kind heart."
  
  The dahlia is a symbol of the discovery of the Americas, as is the tomato, pineapple and potato. The dahlia has been display in Italian gardens since the Renaissance time, according to LifeinItaly.com. The cut flower was present in the homes of the aristocracy during the Renaissance.
  
  

Legend

• According to legend, Serpent Woman, the Aztec goddess, frequently visited an eagle that provided her with knowledge of the sky gods. On one visit she encountered a rabbit that was holding a dahlia, consisting of eight red rays, in his mouth. She was instructed by the gods to pierce the flower with a sharp spike and hold the flower to her breast throughout the night. She did as instructed and the next morning she gave birth to a full-grown son, Utzilopochtli, the War God, who was born with profound thirst for blood and strength for war as a result of the dahlia that Serpent Woman had pierced.
  
  

Appearance and Uses

• Dahlias are grown from a tuberous root rather than a seed. Years ago, it was thought that the tuberous root could be eaten like a potato but, alas, it didn't taste nearly as good as a potato. The Aztecs used the roots to treat epilepsy, and diabetics were once given a substance called diabetic sugar or Atlantic starch, which was made from dahlia tubers. The Chinese use dahlia as one of 31 herbs to treat HIV. The Dahlia Society reports that the dahlia culture is comparable to the tomato culture. If you can grow tomatoes, you can grow dahlias.
  
  A dahlia can grow to 6 feet tall, according to Dahlia.com. Some of the flowers are tipped with a different color or are striped. Dahlias start blooming in early summer and last until the first frost. If there is extreme heat, dahlias may not bloom as profusely.