Dahlia

dahlia, (genus Dahlia), genus of about 40 species of flowering plants in the aster family (Asteraceae), native to the higher elevations of Mexico and Central America. About six of the species in the Dahlia genus have been bred for cultivation as ornamental

flowers and are popular in the floral industry and in gardens. The thousands of dahlia cultivars are classed into a variety of types, including single, double, pompon, cactus, waterlily, peony-flowered, and dinnerplate dahlias.