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:


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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!!).




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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:          

   

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