Let’s be real: you can’t go wrong with a dahlia in your garden, no matter which one you grow. Their shrub like form adds depth to a space even when they’re not blooming, and their blooms ultimately become a beautiful garden firework show that ends the growing season, as they hit their stride when many other summer flowers have begun to fade.

That being said, there are many forms of dahlias out there. In fact, the American Dahlia Association lists 29 forms on their website, which can be a lot to swallow when you’re just beginning your guaranteed love affair with this magical flower.

Which is why I created this short list of the five dahlia forms that are perfect as your introduction to growing them, and at the end I’ll explain just how to work them into your flowering borders and gardens.

Ball Dahlia

The ball dahlia is aptly named for its perfectly symmetrical round shape comprised of rolled up petals that will create a flower ball. They are a sturdy variety of dahlia that grow on strong stems and have the longest vase life of all other dahlia varieties.

Personal favorites: Cornel Bronze, Copper Boy, Boom Boom White, Linda’s Baby, and any in the Jowey Series (they come in a variety of colors)

shown above: Linda’s Baby (pink) and Maarn

Pompon Dahlia

Though they’re known as Pompon dahlias, I’ll forever call them “Pom Pom” dahlias in my mind because their small, cute round flower heads always make me think of those fluffy craft puffs.

Pompon dahlias are essentially a smaller variety of ball dahlias, growing on shorter plants and featuring round faces that are 2-3 inches versus the typical 4-6 inches of ball dahlias.

Favorite varieties: Tiny Treasure, Butter Cup, Amber Queen

Dinnerplate Dahlia

Dinnerplate dahlias are true showstoppers, but I need to get technical for a moment: this is an unofficial label for dahlias that typically fall under the official labels of formal decorative or informal decorative dahlias. The easiest way to tell those two apart is by the petals. Formal decorative dahlias have flat, evenly spaced petals, whereas informal decorative dahlias have an irregular arrangement of slightly curvy or twisted petals.

The reason these two groups began to be unofficially labeled as dinnerplate dahlias is because no matter how the petals lay, they both tend to produce very large flower heads- sometimes the size of a dinnerplate!

Due to their very large heads being held up by fairly skinny stems, dinnerplate dahlias can become a bit droopy on the plant. Their large flower heads are also prone to breaking off of stems easily when weaving them into flower arrangements. Nonetheless, they’re still worth growing for the sheer fact that they’ll definitely be a garden statement AND make you feel like a gardening wizard. Holding a flower the size of your face that you grew yourself offers quite the grower’s high!

Personal favorites: Cafe Au Lait, Great Hercules, Shiloh Noelle, Blushing Lady, Kelvin Floodlight

Cactus/Semi-Cactus Dahlia

Cactus dahlias have petals that curl into themselves, stand upright, and end at a point, thereby creating a spiky look that inspired the name. They remind me a punk rocker hairstyle and I personally think they add the perfect amount of edginess to garden and flower arrangements.

How do Cactus and Semi-Cactus dahlias differ? Semi Cactus dahlias also have spiky petals, but unlike cactus dahlias, their petals only curl up less than half the length of the petal.

Many dahlias from this group present as a dinnerplate dahlia given their large size, so it truly is the quill like petal form that make them stand apart.

Personal Favorites: Myrtle’s Folly, Blackjack, My Love, Tsuki Yori

Anemone Dahlia

Anemone dahlias have a pin cushion center made up of tiny florets, surrounded by a ring of petals that resemble those of daisies. At first glance you may not even realize you’re looking at at a dahlia! They add a unique element to dahlia arrangements en masse, given their slightly non-dahlia appearance.

Personal Favorites: Platinum Blond, Totally Tangerine, Lifestyle

Tips on using dahlias in gardens and flowering borders

When choosing where to place your dahlias, it’s important to note that every dahlia varies in height, typically ranging anywhere from 1-5 feet tall.

Dinnerplate, ball, and cactus dahlias tend to be in the 3-5 foot range, making them perfect for the back or middle of borders and gardens.

Pompons and anemone dahlia are typically in the 1-2.5 foot range, so they’re best at the front of borders or in large pots. Just be sure to give them a deep pot to grow in, as they like for their roots to be able to spread.

Also, because dahlias are later blooming, planting them amongst spring and mid summer flowers such as daffodils and cosmos (which will bloom before them) is good for gaining full season interest in a space.

If you want to give dahlias perennial flower partners to bloom alongside during late summer and early autumn, heirloom chrysanthemums and asters are two great picks.

Hope this inspires you to begin sourcing dahlias for spring planting, and be sure to check back to read about how to plant dahlia tubers - and seeds!