A collection of dahlia cultivars of Lithuanian origin and a comparative collection of dahlia cultivars of foreign origin, illustrate the peculiarities of cultivation and care of dahlias, the cultivar of breeds, and classification.

The Dahlia genus (Dahlia Cav.) belongs to the aster family (Asteraceae). They are herbaceous perennial tuberous plants with erect or creeping branched stems. The leaves are opposite, pinnately compound, usually green, less often purple. Inflorescences may be from 2 to 40cm across, long-necked, composed of tubular and tongue-shaped flowers, and varied in color. The dahlias originate from Central America and are classified as high-altitude plants.  They start flowering in autumn when the days are getting shorter and the nights cooler.

VU Botanical Garden has more than 200 cultivars of dahlias to introduce visitors to the cultivar of their colors, shapes, and use in decorating the environment. Currently, about 35 species of the genus have been described worldwide and more than 20000 cultivars have been developed.

Dahlia seeds were first sown in Europe in 1787, in the Botanical Garden of Madrid. The genus Dahlia was given its Latin name Dahlia in honor of the Swedish botanist Andreas Dahl in the 18th century. It is believed that dahlias arrived in Lithuania from Russia between 1812 and 1814. Later, the flowers spread and became a favorite in gardens, flower gardens, and backyards. Over time, many local cultivars were developed in Lithuania.

The collection is made by selecting cultivars based on combinations of traits such as inflorescence shape and color.

Dahlias are divided into 15 groups according to color, which is not limited to shades of blue and green.  There are 14 main groups according to the shape of the inflorescence:

1.     Single-flowered;

2.     Anemone-flowered;

3.     Collarette;

4.     Waterlily;

5.     Decorative;

6.     Ball

7.     Pompon

8.     Cactus;

9.     Semi-cactus

10.  Miscellaneous

11.  Fimbriated

12.  Single Orchid

13.  Double Orchid (Star)

14.  Peony-flowered

IŠSAMUS KOLEKCIJOS PRISTATYMAS (ATSISIŲSTI)

	Garden dahlia (Dahlia cultorum) 'Orija'  Perennial tuberous, herbaceous perennial plant. The shrub is steep, sturdy, and compact. Stems hollow branched, brittle. Height up to 80 cm. Leaves opposite, large, compound, unpaired, glabrous. The blooms are bright pink, the ends of the petals whitish, slightly incised in the middle. Belongs to the group Decorative regular inflorescence forms. Blooms from the beginning of July to mid-September (before the first frost). The fruit is a flat, oblong, grayish-brown husk. Author – Arūnas Balsevičius
	Garden dahlia (Dahlia cultorum) 'Tsuki-Yorine-Shisha' Perennial tuberous plant. The shrub is compact. Stems hollow branched, brittle. Height up to 100 cm. Leaves are opposite, medium-sized, compound, unpaired, and pinnate. The bloom is white, 10-15cm in diameter. Belongs to the group of Fimbriated forms. Blooms from the beginning of July to mid-September (before the first frost). The fruit is a flat, oblong, grayish-brown husk. Author – Kumagai (Japan), 1953.
	Garden dahlia (Dahlia cultorum) 'Meška Slapukė' Perennial tuberous plant. The shrub is steep, sturdy, and compact. Stems hollow branched, brittle. Height up to 70 cm. Leaves opposite, large, compound, unpaired, pinnate. The bloom is grayish-purple. Belongs to the group of Decorative irregular inflorescence forms. Blooms from the beginning of July to mid-September (before the first frost). The fruit is a flat, oblong, grayish-brown husk. Author - Arūnas Balsevičius.
	Garden dahlia (Dahlia cultorum) 'La Gioconda'  Perennial tuberous plant. Height up to 100cm. The shrub is steep, sturdy, and compact. Stems hollow branched, brittle. Leaves opposite, large, compound, unpaired, pinnate. The outer row of petals is fiery red, and the inner row is yellow. The diameter of the bloom is 5-8 cm. Belongs to the group of Collarette irregular inflorescence forms The fruit is a flat, oblong, grayish-brown husk. Author – Mayer-Gmelin (the Netherlands), 1943.