Published March 1965. A more recent revision exists. Facts and recommendations in this publication may no longer be valid. Please look for up-to-date information in the OSU Extension Catalog: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog
Dahlias are a native flower in Mexico. Hernando Cortez found them to be a long-established favorite in the gardens of the Aztecs when he invaded Mexico in 1519 to establish the colony of New Spain. Seeds of these Mexican flowers reached Spain in 1789.