Modern system (RHS) Dahlia

flower type

the official rhs classification lists fourteen groups, grouped flower type, abbreviations used rhs;

group 2 – anemone-flowered dahlias (anem) — centre of flower consists of dense elongated tubular florets, longer disc florets of single dahlias, while outer parts have 1 or more rings of flatter ray florets. disc absent.

(e.g. boogie woogie )












group 3 – collerette dahlias (col) — large flat florets forming single outer ring around central disc , may overlap smaller circle of florets closer centre, have appearance of collar.

(e.g. starsister , lilian alice , apple blossom )


















group 4 – waterlily dahlias (wl) — double blooms, broad sparse curved, curved or flat florets , shallow in depth compared other dahlias. depth less half diameter of bloom.

(e.g. cameo )


















group 5 – decorative dahlias (d) — double blooms, ray florets broad, flat, involute no more seventy 5 per cent of longitudinal axis, twisted , bluntly pointed. no visible central disc.

(e.g. berliner kleene )


















group 6 – ball dahlias (ba)— double blooms ball shaped or flattened. ray florets blunt or rounded @ tips, margins arranged spirally, involute @ least seventy 5 percent of length of florets. larger pompons.

(e.g. barbarry ball )












group 7 – pompon dahlias (pom) — double spherical miniature flowers made entirely florets curved inwards (involute) entire length (longitudinal axis), resembling pompon.

(e.g. small world )












group 8 – cactus dahlias (c) — double blooms, ray florets pointed, majority revolute (rolled) on more fifty percent of longitudinal axis, , straight or incurved. narrower semi cactus.

(e.g. nuit d eté )
























group 9 – semi cactus dahlias (s–c)— double blooms, pointed ray florets, revolute greater twenty 5 percent , less fifty percent of longitudinal axis. broad @ base , straight or incurved, spiky in appearance.

(e.g. mick s peppermint )












group 10 – miscellaneous dahlias (misc) — not described in other group.

(e.g. moonfire , carolina burgundy )


















group 11 – fimbriated dahlias (fim) — ray florets evenly split or notched 2 or more divisions, uniformly throughout bloom, creating fimbriated (fringed) effect. petals may flat, involute, revolute, straight, incurving or twisted.

(e.g. marlene joy )












group 12 – single orchid (star) dahlias (sino) — single outer ring of florets surround central disc. ray florets either involute or revolute.

(e.g. alloway candy )












group 13 – double orchid dahlias (dblo) — double blooms triangular centres. ray florets narrowly lanceolate , either involute or revolute. central disc absent.

(e.g. pink giraffe )












group 14 – peony-flowered dahlias (p) — large flowers 3 or 4 rows of rays flattened , expanded , arranged irregularly. rays surround golden disc similar of single dahlias.

(e.g. bishop of llandaff )













flower size

earlier versions of registry subdivided groups flower size. groups 4, 5, 8 , 9 divided 5 subgroups (a e) giant miniature, , group 6 2 subgroups, small , miniature. dahlias described group , subgroup, e.g. 5(d) ‘ace summer sunset’. dahlia societies have continued practice, neither official nor standardised. of 2013 rhs uses 2 size descriptors

dwarf bedder (dw.b.) — not exceeding 600 mm (24 in) in height, e.g. preston park (sin/dwb)
lilliput dahlias (lil) — not exceeding 300 mm (12 in) in height, single, semi-double or double florets 26 mm (1.0 in) in diameter. ( baby or top-mix dahlias), e.g. harvest tiny tot (misc/lil)

sizes can range tiny micro dahlias flowers less 50mm giants on 250mm in diameter. groupings listed here new zealand society.

giant flowered cultivars have blooms diameter of on 250mm.
large flowered cultivars have blooms diameter between 200mm-250mm.
medium flowered cultivars have blooms diameter between 155mm-200mm.
small flowered cultivars have blooms diameter between 115mm-155mm.
miniature flowered cultivars have blooms diameter between 50mm-115mm.
pompom flowered cultivars have blooms diameter less 50mm.

in addition official classification , terminology used various dahlia societies, individual horticulturalists use wide range of other descriptions, such incurved , abbreviations in catalogues, such co collarette.