Dahlias
The dahlia originates from Central America, where it was used both as decoration and for medicinal purposes. The Spanish took the dahlia home with them as early as the 1500s but it did not attract much attention.
Interest for the dahlia in our part of the world grew at the end of the 1700s as seeds and tubers spread from Madrid’s botanical garden to cultivators throughout Europe. It was the director of the botanical garden who, in 1791, named the flower after the Swedish botanist and student of Carl von Linné, Andreas Dahl.
It is impossible to count the shapes and colors of the dahlia. During the more than 200 years that the dahlia has been cultivated, more than 50,000 different types have been registered. In addition to the registered dahlias, many gardeners have created their own variations at home.
It is as easy as gathering the seeds; the dahlia then happily interbreeds and creates unique variations.
In Sweden, most dahlias are grown from tubers. They are planted outside in June since this frost-sensitive plant needs to slowly acclimate itself to the outdoor conditions. The flowers are in full bloom in August and last until October. Once the frost returns, it is time to take the dahlias inside to be stored until the next summer.
Technical Details
Issue Date: 22.08.2013
Designer: Thérèse Lindström
Illustrator: Thérèse Lindström
Process: Offset
Colours: 4 Colours
Size: 37.5 x 26.6 mm, 180 x 125 mm, A4
Values: 45, 29, 60
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