Texnier's Le Dahlia (1909)

It wasn't until 1787 that Thierry de Ménonville, representing the French government on a mission to secure Cochineal and the Nopal, stumbled upon a remarkable plant in a garden in Guaxaca. This plant boasted robust stems, leaves reminiscent of elder leaves, and strikingly large flowers akin to Aster blooms. Little did he know, he had encountered a single-flowered Dahlia.

In 1789, this newfound Dahlia, already boasting several varieties in Mexican gardens, found its way to Europe thanks to Vincent Cervantès. Appointed as a professor at the botanical garden of Mexico, Cervantès wasted no time and promptly dispatched seeds to his former mentor, Abbé Cavanilles, who directed the royal garden in Madrid.

By 1790, these seeds had blossomed into thriving plants, and the following year, Cavanilles introduced a species named Dahlia pinnata. He dedicated it to André Dahl, a Swedish botanist celebrated for his work on the Linnean system. Dahlia pinnata could reach heights exceeding 1.35 meters, featuring deep green foliage and, in the late months of October and November, it graced the world with its flowers. These flowers, measuring about eight centimeters in diameter, comprised multiple rows of purple-violet ligules encircling a vibrant yellow disk.

Cavanilles continued his work in 1794 by describing two new Dahlia forms. Dahlia rosea, a robust plant towering over 2 meters in height, flaunted lively green foliage. Its single row of approximately eight pale red ligules adorned the plant from August to October.

On the other hand, Dahlia coccinea, standing at about one meter tall, showcased a graceful, branching form, accompanied by glossy green leaves. From September to October, it displayed its beauty with 0.05-meter diameter flowers, boasting a single row of red-orange ligules.

During their expedition through South America in 1803, Humboldt and Bonpland stumbled upon wild Dahlias flourishing at an altitude of 1,650 to 1,700 meters. These remarkable findings occurred between Ario and Pazcuaro, situated east of the Jorullo volcano, facing the Pacific Ocean.

According to Humboldt's observations, these plants reached heights of 1.2 to 1.5 meters, bearing flowers measuring 25 centimeters in diameter. These flowers displayed a captivating combination of a yellow disk and violet ligules, accompanied by seeds that the explorers carefully collected and sent back to Europe.

This endeavor was made possible through the assistance of Thibaud, a physician associated with Lucien Bonaparte's mission in Madrid, who ensured their safe arrival in Paris.

Three plants originating from Cavanilles, primarily consisting of Dahlia pinnata and its variations rosea and coccinea, arrived in February 1802. These plants were promptly placed in optimal conditions, housed in spacious pots under glass at a temperature of 12 to 15 degrees Celsius.

Vegetative growth commenced in May, progressed notably through the summer months, and culminated in flowering later that same year, during the autumn season. Dahlia pinnata provided the seeds that sparked hope. Thouin held high expectations, envisioning it as "the most exquisite adornment for gardens."

Humboldt's contributions in the form of seeds sent to the Muséum and the Jardin de la Malmaison bore fruit, giving rise to numerous varieties.

In 1806, Count Lelieur, administrator of the Crown's parks and gardens, received three Dahlias from Malmaison, each boasting scarlet, purple, or yellow flowers. These were entrusted to the care of Souchet Sr., a skilled florist at the Château de Saint-Cloud.

Three known double Dahlia varieties—dark purple, hortensia pink, and nankin yellow—joined the ranks. They were planted in open ground along a terrace wall, yielding valuable seeds. Curiously, when seeds from each variety were sown individually, they failed to replicate their parental traits. Instead, entirely new varieties emerged, devoid of double flowers.

The dominant colors observed were purple, crimson, and nankin yellow, revealing that these were not distinct species but rather diverse expressions of the same type. Souchet persisted in nurturing these seedlings. By the third year, the parent plants were thoughtfully arranged for cross-pollination, ultimately yielding larger, more vibrant flowers with novel shapes. By 1809, the pure white Dahlia made its splendid debut.

An enthusiast in Auteuil, Ternaux, received a collection of splendid Dahlia varieties from Count Lelieur. The seedlings raised by his diligent gardener, Laffay, resulted in an impressive array of double and semi-double flowered varieties.

In parallel, at the Saint-Cloud nursery, only two or three double-flowered Dahlias emerged in 1817. However, they fell short in quality compared to their single-flowered counterparts. It was only a few years later that double and fully double-flowered varieties began to replace single-row ligule varieties across the board.

The ongoing enhancements were striking. Initially, ligules were somewhat contorted, relatively narrow, occasionally split at their tips, and sometimes deeply so. Gradually, they assumed rounder and broader forms, either curving outward or becoming concave, akin to spoons or, preferably, adopting the shape of tubes, or even more ideally, cones.

Central florets, initially resembling small, crumpled ligules arranged irregularly, gradually transformed into structures mirroring those on the periphery, creating flowers known for their impeccable symmetry. Some varieties even featured ligules containing two additional small petals, although this particular variation was not emphasized and eventually disappeared.

In addition to prominent contributors like Laffay, Lelieur, and Souchet, others in Paris, including Noisette, Grandidier, Roblin, Paillet, and especially Soutif, the gardener of Fulchiron in Passy, played pivotal roles in refining the Dahlia.

Soutif, in particular, gained significant renown for his prolific results from countless seedlings, a practice he continued until the end of his life. His Dahlia varieties adorned collections and found homes in gardens for an extended period.

Beyond these individuals, there were also Mauger (from Orléans), Baltet-Petit, Louis Carré (from Troyes), Saller (from Versailles), Besnier (from Angers), Desprez (from Yèbles), Deschiens (from Versailles), Chereau (from Ecouen), Miellez (from Lille), Rousseau (from Angers), Lehuidoux (from Saint-Brieuc), Guénot (from Ivry), among others, who made substantial contributions to Dahlia improvement.

It's worth noting that collections still included many varieties imported from England, where significant advancements, particularly in terms of form, had been achieved since 1835.

One notable drawback of early Dahlias was their towering height, reaching up to 2.50 meters. To address this, in 1827, Soulange-Bodin from the Fromont garden, along with the Jacquin brothers, florists specializing in seedlings in Paris, introduced the English dwarf Dahlia into French gardens.

These dwarfs typically grew from 0.45 to 1 meter in height, rarely more. Soulange-Bodin initiated significant seedling work, resulting in the first French dwarf varieties introduced in 1829. Subsequently, French seedsmen followed suit, obtaining their own dwarf varieties.

The progress of Dahlia cultivation was evident, with Noisette amassing a collection of 60 double varieties in 1823. By 1828, the Jacquin brothers published a catalog boasting over 400 varieties neatly classified by colors. Furthermore, the Dahlia's popularity soared to new heights as witnessed by the successful hosting of the first specialized Dahlia exhibition in Paris from September 25 to 28, 1828.

While the original plants described by Cavanilles had vanished amidst this flourishing variety, all Dahlias grown were collectively referred to as Dahlia variabilis, a name bestowed upon them by Desfontaines in 1829. Yet, two distinct species still remained, initially differentiated by De Candolle as Dahlia superflua and Dahlia frustanea.

De Candolle received these species from Cavanilles and conducted their study and cultivation at the Montpellier garden, yielding several varieties in different colors from each. These two species encompassed the full spectrum of forms subsequently recognized:

1. Dahlia variabilis or D. superflua by De Candolle, including Dahlia pinnata and rosea by Cavanilles, D. crocata, sambucifolia, purpurea, as documented by various authors.
   
   

2. Dahlia coccinea by Cavanilles or D. frustanea by De Candolle, incorporating D. Cervantesii and mexicana.

It's noteworthy that, during their introduction, Dahlia tubers were initially considered a potential food source. However, after various experiments, this aspiration was ultimately abandoned.

In May 1804, a fresh shipment of D. variabilis arrived in England, courtesy of Lady Holland, who procured seeds from Spain, entrusting them to Buonajuti, then residing in England. The seeds yielded thriving plants that graced the Holland House garden with their presence in September-October of the same year.

Anecdotes suggest that upon witnessing these splendid blooms, a London florist offered a princely sum of 30 guineas for a single tuber. An alternative version of the tale suggests that seeds obtained from the plants at Holland House were distributed among various enthusiasts and cultivators, including Lee and Kennedy of Hammersmith.

When nurtured in pots and cold greenhouses, these Dahlias not only produced a delightful array of red-hued flowers but also seeds, facilitating their propagation. Another florist, Wedgewood, adopted an approach involving open-ground cultivation, resulting in magnificent blossoms. It is worth noting that Lady Holland herself obtained a semi-double pink-flowered variety characterized by its dwarf stature, reaching only half the conventional height.

However, this cultivation temporarily lapsed until 1814, when Count Lelieur dispatched his finest Dahlia varieties to the Horticultural Society of London. These blossoms garnered immense admiration upon their flowering. Recognizing their potential as garden ornaments, enthusiasts and cultivators eagerly embraced the challenge. Through diligent seedling efforts and refined cultivation techniques, they swiftly caught up with their continental counterparts.

By 1818, catalogs began listing 100 to 150 named varieties, predominantly comprising single-flowered Dahlias. In 1822, Lee's collection boasted over 200 varieties, marking a significant milestone. The first double-flowered variety, distinguished by its excellent form, tubular ligules, and scarlet hue, and obtained by Dennis of Chelsea, emerged under the moniker D. purpurea superba.

The remarkable quantity of Dahlias produced annually at Lee and other establishments attested to their burgeoning popularity. In 1821, Thomas Blake devised a novel approach to propagate double Dahlias, involving grafting them onto the tubers of single-flowered varieties.

Certain cultivators, such as Pothecary of Upway, Douglas, the gardener for Lady Grantham in Putney Hill, Barrett of Hardwicke, Harris of Upway, Widnall of Granchester, Inwood of Putney Heath, Lord of Bury Saint Edmunds, and others, specialized in this endeavor. They sowed quantities so vast that they initially yielded a substantial number of double varieties each year, introducing new colors and intriguing shapes, akin to their continental counterparts.

Nevertheless, from 1827 onwards, there emerged a growing preference for more uniform blooms. These desired flowers featured a filled center adorned with pointed or rounded ligules, invariably arranged symmetrically. When all ligules were reflexed, the flower assumed a spherical shape. While ligules could be flat, tubular, or recurved, the hallmark was the overall flower symmetry. This commitment to uniformity bestowed English Dahlias with an edge over their continental counterparts for a time.

Around 1827, a significant breakthrough arrived in the form of a dwarf variety, never exceeding one meter in height, characterized by earlier, more consistent, and profuse flowering.

Joseph Wells, serving as the gardener for William Wells, an enthusiast at Redleaf, was the mastermind behind this development in 1835. His efforts yielded 60 varieties, notably richer in light hues than dark ones.

In 1830, Lee introduced a distinct variety recognized for its flowers with narrow ligules, often reminiscent of Anemone blossoms. These were aptly named Dahlias with Anemone-like petals.

In contrast, the full-flowered type, referred to as Dahlias with globe-like petals, emerged around 1828, likely through the crossbreeding of the astrantiæfolia variety with an ordinary double-flowered Dahlia by Drummond of Cork. In 1829, Russell of Battersea achieved a variety of D. coccinea featuring double orange blooms strikingly similar to Ranunculus flowers.

The year 1832 brought forth the D. Springfield Rival, the brainchild of George Lynes, gardener for Perkins, an enthusiast from Springfield. Introduced by Inwood, this Dahlia made waves due to its symmetrical and uniform arrangement of cornet-shaped ligules. It marked the inception of what would be recognized as the Springfield forms.

Nevertheless, under unfavorable conditions, such as poor soil, high temperatures, or water scarcity, the flower occasionally exhibited a loss of its distinct qualities, manifesting a hollow center. This trend persisted until Keynes of Salisbury introduced the D. Standard of Perfection, a more resilient variety that laid the foundation for the D. Perfection. Characterized by a semi-spherical flower with an exceptionally full center and symmetrically arranged ligules, this variety was an instant hit.

In 1835, a Sheffield amateur named Lewick obtained the D. Incomparable. While it exhibited passable form and featured scarlet ligules tipped with white points, it was the first fancy Dahlia. Despite its occasional inconsistency, it remained in cultivation until being succeeded by similar yet more stable varieties. This phenomenon was echoed in the case of striped Dahlias, which emerged shortly thereafter. Nevertheless, during this period, fancy Dahlias struggled to rival the popularity enjoyed by Perfection Dahlias.

The "Society for the Improvement of the Dahlia," established in 1832, was dedicated to channeling collective efforts toward enhancing the qualities of the beloved Perfection Dahlia, which had become a quintessential classic. Between 1840 and 1845, Perfection Dahlias entirely eclipsed globe-like and Anemone-like Dahlias.

It is difficult to overstate the attention and care lavished on the cultivation and breeding of new Dahlia varieties during this era. Numerous esteemed breeders made significant contributions to this endeavor, including Appleby of Doncaster, Young of Archerfield, Brewer of Cambridge, Girling of Stow Martet, Whale of Elcot, Gaines of Battersea, Turville of Chelmsford, Spare of Hungerford, Glenny of Isleworth, Brown of Slough, Heale of Gaine, Saunders of Jersey, Th. Ansell of Camden Town, Harrison of Downharrfi, Squibb of Salisbury, Turner of Slough, Hunt, Elphinston, Bâtes, and others.

The proliferation of varieties was extraordinary. In 1826, Chiswick's collection in the garden of the Horticultural Society of London featured 60 varieties, predominantly semi-double, considered exceptionally beautiful.

By 1840, catalogs listed over 1,200 double-flowered varieties, and by the mid-19th century, approximately 3,000 distinct Dahlia varieties had been amassed. To grasp the enormity of the effort required for this achievement, one must consider that Wilnall, one of the most renowned breeders, sowed 32,000 plants in 1838.

Two years later, following rigorous selection, this endeavor yielded a solitary variety. In more contemporary times, William Keynes, another accomplished breeder, transplanted over 30,000 seedlings annually.

Consequently, it comes as no surprise that upon their market debut, new and deserving Dahlia varieties commanded lofty prices, ranging from 20 to 30 shillings.

Around this period, Wildenow, a professor of botany in Berlin, took it upon himself to rename the Dahlia as the Georgina. His reasoning was to avoid potential confusion with the genus Dalea, as originally named by Cavanilles. This rechristening was done as a tribute to the naturalist traveler Georgi from St. Petersburg.

The name Georgina gained currency not only in Germany but also in England, persisting until around 1832. In his classification, Wildenow grouped the D. pinnata and described several varieties in shades of purple, lilac, and pale red. He retained D. coccinea, which continued to reproduce from seedlings under the name Georgina coccinea.

Belgium saw the introduction of the Dahlia around 1802. By 1810, Mussche was cultivating it at the botanical garden in Ghent. Around the same time, F. Wiegers, a florist in Mechelen, featured Dahlia varieties in seven different colors in his catalog.

In 1813, Donkelaër, head gardener of the botanical garden in Louvain, achieved double-flowered Dahlias. In the subsequent years, Dutch cultivators like Van Eeden from Haarlem also secured double varieties that gained popularity and made their way across Europe. These varieties, introduced to France by Soutif, played a pivotal role in the development of French Dahlias.

While English-origin Dahlias remained highly sought after in Belgium for an extended period, the diligent efforts of Belgian breeders eventually bore fruit. Figures like Matteur, the gardener for Du Mortier in Tournai, Haquin from Liège, Tassart, De Knyff from Antwerp, and others succeeded in obtaining varieties that rivaled those from England.

A similar transformation took place in Germany, where individuals like Stock, Mardner, and, notably, J. Sieckmann and Christian Deegen from Kostritz, produced commendable varieties. They even ventured into the realm of fancy Dahlias, with the first white-tipped variety emerging in Hamburg in 1834. These German varieties gained notoriety for their superior beauty, making them highly coveted.

German breeders, particularly Sieckmann, played a pivotal role in the creation of the Dahlia Lilliput or Pompon, around 1850. This distinctive variety maintained the typical size of ordinary Dahlias but was characterized by the prolific production of numerous small flowers. In just a few years, this new breed became the source of various colors for larger Dahlias in Germany.

In the realm of striped Dahlias, it was Van Geert from Antwerp who bred one of the most remarkable varieties in this category—the D. Œillet de Bohême, featuring light yellow flowers adorned with crimson streaks. A bit later, De Guasco, an amateur from Fauquemont in Limburg, achieved a similar variety, the D. Œillet de Guasco.

One cannot overlook one of the era's most renowned Dahlia cultivators, J. Wallner from Geneva. His journey in cultivating Dahlias began at the outset of the 19th century and continued for over five decades. Wallner assembled one of the most extensive commercial collections ever known, boasting an impressive array of 1,400 varieties.

Among these steadfast individuals were Harrison, Holmes, Bush (hailing from Bath), Perry, Dodd, Rawlings, Ch. Fellowes (from Sottisham), and notably, William Keynes and Charles Turner. These pioneers not only continued to pursue the creation of novel Dahlia varieties but also introduced the offerings of lesser-known seed growers into the market.

The success of English Dahlia exhibitions instilled a focused pursuit of extreme perfection in the flower's form, even within those intended for such exhibitions. However, this single-minded pursuit often led to varieties lacking in stature and other essential qualities, which failed to resonate on the continent.

Fortunately, Belgian and, particularly, French seed growers persisted in their efforts, continuously producing varieties that contributed fresh colors to the already well-established qualities of the Dahlia.

In France, notable Dahlia producers included Bauduin (from Loos-lez-Lille), Chauré (from Vitry-le-François), the Baitet brothers (from Troyes), Miellez (from Esquermes-lès-Lille), Chardine (from Montrouge), Mezard (from Puteaux), Laloy (from Rueil), Baudinat (from Meaux), Lecocq-Dumesnil (from Paris), and especially Basseville (from Passy) and Eugène Guénoux (from Voisenon).

In Belgium, Haquin, Cailloux, Van Renynghe, Abbe Fichelle, Miquet, and others made significant contributions to Dahlia cultivation.

Lilliput Dahlias found their way to France through Bauduin and gained popularity in England after Sieckmann, Deegen, and others not only improved their color variations but also refined their growth habits. Around 1862, a new dwarf form featuring white flowers emerged, and from that point onward, the plant's growth habit, more proportionate to the size of the flowers, rendered this race even more remarkable.

Around 1890, a distinctive race characterized by very large flowers, measuring between 15 to18 inches in diameter, was introduced to France by Baudriller. Among the noteworthy varieties in this category was the D. Gloire de Paris, showcasing deep red flowers with nuanced purple-violet hues.

Heinemann (from Erfurt) introduced the D. Gloria or Anemone-flowered Dahlia in 1894, originally obtained in the South of France. This particular form featured capitula with a center composed of long tubular florets surrounded by a single row of wide ligules. Its introduction to France by Cayeux and Le Clerc (from Paris) in 1897 led to the creation of the D. Professeur Mussat, boasting much larger florets in the same striking red color as the ligules. Over the following years, with meticulous selection, new colors and larger flowers emerged.

After 1850, two intriguing Dahlia varieties made their debut. First, the Dahlia with green flowers, known for its capitula resembling an "Artichoke head," was initially obtained in Versailles by Salter and rediscovered approximately two decades later in Germany by Sieckmann.

Secondly, the very first Dahlia with leaves distinctly edged in white was cultivated in Austria in 1853 by Dôller, the gardener of Count Schönborn near Vienna. This distinctive variety was subsequently sold by Van Houtte (from Ghent) under the name D. Emperor Franz Joseph.

Around 1878, thanks to the meticulous care of Moore from the Chelsea garden, the first noteworthy varieties of D. gracilis emerged, including gracilis superba (intense carmine), g. fulgens (scarlet), g. cuprea (copper-red), and g. lutea (chrome yellow). D. coccinea, which had faded into relative obscurity after its reintroduction in 1848 from seeds received from Mexico by Schechtendal of the botanical garden in Halle, also played a role in the production of single Dahlias. Some of these seeds were shared with the Jardin des Plantes in Paris, resulting in several variations, including single flowers in light orange and yellow, although they initially received little attention.

At the Chelsea garden, where old forms were cultivated under names like D. coccinea, Cervantesi, mexicana, and lutea, two scarlet-orange and bright yellow single varieties were obtained in 1879. These varieties were subsequently introduced to the market by Cannell from Swanley in the following year.

Cannell also rediscovered the D. Paragon, a robust plant with velvety brown ligules bordered in dark crimson, an old and beautiful single variety from D. variabilis, initially obtained in 1834 by Samuel Appleby (from Doncaster).

It's also plausible that D. glabrata, a dwarf, branched, entirely glabrous species, contributed to the creation of single Dahlias. In 1840, this species produced lilac flowers on long peduncles in the garden of the Horticultural Society of London, which had received the seeds through G. F. Dickson. However, like many other single-flowered species, it was seldom preserved outside of botanical gardens.

The new form of the Dahlia, distinguished by its graceful growth habit, the profusion of flowers gracefully emerging from the foliage, and the striking regularity of its ligules, bore no resemblance to the early single Dahlias of the Dahlia's early history. This newfound variety found a special place in ornamental gardening, and progress in this direction was swift.

By 1882, seed growers like Cannell, T. Ware (from Tottenham), Keynes, Cullingford (from South Kensington), and others began showcasing new varieties that provided a glimpse of the potential inherent in this newfound favorite. In a short span, it offered a broad spectrum of colors, ranging from white and pink to red, violet, orange, and various shades of yellow.

In France, it was the seed growers of Lyon who played a pivotal role in advancing the single Dahlia. Initially, Léonard Lille obtained striped and variegated flowers on tall plants measuring 0.90 meters in height in 1887. However, within three years, these were successfully reduced to 0.50 or 0.60 meters in height, while retaining their distinctive characteristics through selective seed propagation.

By 1891, Lille had developed a truly dwarf race encompassing all colors from white to very dark red. Crozy aîné, utilizing an old variety discovered by Van Houtte (from Ghent), characterized by its purple foliage but late and stingy blooming, crossbred it with D. gracilis to create a floriferous race that retained its characteristic foliage. This variety, known as D. à feuilles pourpres laciniées, was introduced in 1891.

Around the same time, D. rouge minium, notable for its color, growth habit, and prolific flowering, became known as D. Jules Chrétien, named after its breeder, one of the heads of the Parc de la Tête d'Or.

Jules Chrétien subsequently produced plants with new nuances and unexpected variegations, which were introduced by Rivoire as D. simples Perfection. In 1899, Rivoire introduced the D. moiré, obtained by Chabanne from the botanical garden of the Parc de la Tête d'Or, featuring red ligules streaked with white. That same year, Loiseau de Beaune unveiled varieties with a yellow central disk surrounded by a dark circle formed by spots at the base of each ligule.

In Belgium, Schreiber (from Tongres) developed flowers with ligules uniformly edged in vivid hues against a predominantly white background. These varieties were introduced to the market in 1894 by Jacob Makoy (from Liège).

In 1894, England recommended a very dwarf race, measuring 0.22 to 0.35 meters in height, with various colors, known as D. Thom Thumb, created by T. N. Girdlestone from Sunningdale. This development in England was comparable to the dwarf race produced in Lyon the same year by L. Lille.

Another curious transformation was the emergence of the Collarette Dahlia, characterized by the presence of a collar around the disk formed by petaloid organs that developed at the base of each ligule, where they were more or less applied. While something similar had appeared in early Dahlia seedlings, it had largely gone unnoticed.

In 1898, Gerbeaux in Nancy developed the D. Gloire de Nancy, featuring violet-red flowers and a collar of small white petals. The following year, in a seedling done in Lyon at the botanical garden of the Parc de la Tête d'Or, Chabanne and Goujon discovered two better-characterized varieties: D. Président Viger with red ligules and white collars and D. Joseph Goujon with scarlet-red ligules and yellow-striped collars. These distinctive varieties were introduced to the market by Rivoire, who subsequently obtained new variations in the following years.

These flowers stood out due to their unique shape; all the florets, resembling the ligules of the outer circle, were flattened, elongated, and pointed, smaller towards the center. This represented a significant departure from the spherical double Dahlias that were known at the time.

The Dahlia Juarezi made its way to France in 1876, where it became known by names like D. Corne du Diable and Etoile du Diable, evoking a plant of similar appearance exhibited under the same name in 1847 by Mézard. It then returned to Holland, under the care of Ant. Roozen from Overveen, who subsequently sent it to W. H. Cullingford in England.

When H. Cannell exhibited it in London in 1879, it garnered significant attention due to its resemblance to a Cactus flower. Consequently, it was christened the Cactus Dahlia, a name it has retained ever since.

From this point onward, the Cactus Dahlia underwent astonishing and rapid progress in England. The initial varieties were exclusively obtained by T. Ware from Tottenham and W. Keynes, who introduced new colors in 1884.

Later, growers like Cannell, Cheal, Wyatt, West, Burrell, Stredwich, Turner, and others not only developed new shades and color arrangements but also achieved varieties with significantly different ligule shapes. These ligules could be symmetrically or irregularly arranged, sometimes growing very large or slender, and even tapered at their tips, resembling tubes. They could be entire, mucronate, or deeply notched at their tips. Additionally, these Dahlias exhibited earlier flowering times, and their more upright flowers stood out distinctly from the foliage.

In France, some seed growers like André Charmet from Lyon and Cayeux and Le Clerc from Paris succeeded in obtaining a few distinct Cactus Dahlias. However, their notable achievement was in creating a series known as Decorative Dahlias. These plants resulted from crosses between the old forms and D. Cactus and were marked by the size and regularity of their flowers.

In 1892, Coûtant, the secretary of the Horticultural Society of Douai, achieved plants in this direction, among which the D. Grand Duc Alexis remains highly sought after. Lyon also produced remarkable varieties, such as the D. Perle de la Tête d'Or, gained by Chrétien in 1893, which remained the only truly white variety for an extended period.

Even the single-flowered Cactus Dahlia made its appearance in England in 1891, introduced by E. J. Lowe of Chepstow and further cultivated and popularized by Dobbie in 1894.

In nearly a century, the Dahlia underwent significant changes and made substantial progress. Every time its popularity seemed on the verge of waning, a new form emerged that brought it back into favor, allowing it to maintain its reputation as the king of autumn in gardens.

Le Texnier.