Dahlias by Size, Form, and Color (American Dahlia Society)
Classification by Size
AA = Giant: > 10"
A = Large: 8 - 10"
B = Medium: 6 - 8"
BB = Small: 4 - 6"
M = Miniature: < 4"
BA = Ball: > 3.5"
MB = Miniature Ball: 2 - 3.5"
P = Pompon: up to 2"
ST = Stellar
WL = Water Lily
SEE PICTURES OF DAHLIAS IN THESE CATEGORIES BELOW:
Dahlias by Form (ADS)
Classification by Form
The American Dahlia Society (ADS) has defined 20 different categories of dahlias by "FORM," as listed on this webpage.
FD = Formal Decorative
ID = Informal Decorative
SC = Semi-Cactus
C = Straight Cactus
IC = Incurved Cactus
LC = Laciniated (a split at the end of petals, which are twisted for fringed effect)
BA = Ball ( > 3.5")
MB = Miniature Ball (2 - 3.5")
WL = Water Lily
PE = Peony-flowering
AN = Anemone-flowering
CO = Collarette
S = Single
ST = Stellar
MS = Mignon Single
O = Orchid-flowering
OT = Orchette
NO = Novelty Open
NX = Novelty Fully Double
Granted this is a LOT of types of dahlias. By grouping these pictures by "forms" of dahlias, perhaps it will be possible to see and understand the differences. Please go to my next page (coming soon!) to see and compare these categories (they wouldn't fit on this page!!).
Dahlias by Color (ADS)
Categories of Dahlias by Color
The American Dahlia Society has defined 10 primary colors and 5 color combinations to classify dahlias by color. My grandfather, Warren W. Maytrott, who established and operated Dahliadel Nurseries from 1916 to 1968 in Vineland, NJ, compiled the well-known "Dahliadel Color Chart," which was used for many years, even after his lifetime by the ADS to define dahlias by color! Do you think my fascination with color, both in my career as a professor of mathematics (i.e., math in living color!) and now in my retirement years with dahlias, was inherited???
Here are the 10 colors:
BR = Bronze
DP = Dark Pink
DR = Dark Red
L = Lavender
OR = Orange
PK = Pink
PR = Purple
R = Red
W = White
Y = Yellow
Notice that there are NO blue dahlias!!
The color combinations are less obvious:
BI = Bicolor
FL = Flame Blend
LB = Light Blend
DB = Dark Blend
V = Variegated
Compare and contrast these categories with the examples below: