Dahlia

Food Columbus imported from Americas (15 items)
list by Marek

Dahlia (UK: /ˈdeɪliə/ DAY-lee-ə, US: /ˈdæljə, ˈdɑːljə, ˈdeɪljə/ DA(H)L-yə, DAYL-yə) is a genus of bushy, tuberous, herbaceous perennial plants native to Mexico and Central America. As a member of the Asteraceae (synonym name: Compositae) family of dicotyledonous plants, its relatives include the sunflower, daisy, chrysanthemum, and zinnia. There are 49 species of dahlia, with flowers in almost every hue (except blue), with hybrids commonly grown as garden plants.

Dahlias were known only to the Aztecs and other southern North American peoples until the Spanish conquest, after which the plants were brought to Europe. The (high in sugar) tubers of some varieties are of value to humans. There is also a special polysaccharide of Fructan obtained known as Inulin.

Dahlias are perennial plants with tuberous roots, though they are grown as annuals in some regions with cold winters. While some have herbaceous stems, others have stems which lignify in the absence of secondary tissue and resprout following winter dormancy, allowing further seasons of growth. As a member of the Asteraceae, the dahlia has a flower head that is actually a composite (hence the older name Compositae) with both central disc florets and surrounding ray florets. Each floret is a flower in its own right, but is often incorrectly described as a petal. The modern name Asteraceae refers to the appearance of a star with surrounding rays.