Last year, I discovered something incredible. Every dahlia seed creates a one-of-a-kind bloom—like a snowflake, but with petals! This blew my mind! Tulips and roses grow the same from seed. Dahlias don’t. Each seed is a surprise. It mixes genes, creating a bloom the world has never seen. That means every dahlia variety you’ve ever loved started as an experiment—someone rolled the genetic dice, got lucky, and then worked for years to stabilize it. But how do you turn a lucky bloom into an official cultivar? That’s where the dahlia classification process starts.

Armed with this knowledge, I did what any flower enthusiast would do: I collected seeds from my dahlia garden last year with the grand plan of growing them this year. My goal? Create a new dahlia. One that can be released to the world—or at least to other flower lovers. This isn’t quick. The soonest I could release a stabilized dahlia cultivar through the ADS is in four years. Yes, you read that right. Years. Buckle up.

What Even Is a Cultivar?

If you’re not deep in the gardening world, “cultivar” might sound like something you need to fight off in a video game. But really, it just means a plant variety that has been specifically selected and maintained by humans because it has desirable traits—like a killer color, strong stems, or an unreal bloom shape. Once I find a dahlia from my seed-grown plants that deserves a name, I’ll need to propagate it by tubers (not seeds) to ensure it keeps producing the same flower each year.

Understanding the Dahlia Classification Process

The dahlia classification process is managed by the American Dahlia Society (ADS), the official bouncer of the dahlia world. They decide which varieties get recognized, ensuring every dahlia gets properly labeled based on its form, color, and size.

To be classified, a dahlia needs to check a few boxes:

• It must be stable, producing the same bloom every year.
• It can’t be an attempt at copying another dahlia.
• It has to pass official judging.

Step 1: The Dahlia Classification Process Starts with Stability

Here’s the deal: Dahlia seedlings are wild cards. Growing one from seed? Don’t expect it to look like its parent! Each one is a floral mystery box full of surprises. Love a bloom? I can’t keep its seeds. I have to grow it from tubers. If it changes, I lose it.

Stabilizing a dahlia takes time—at least three years. That means my first Cassell Hollow Farm variety won’t be ready for classification before 2028. That’s if I even find “the one” from my first batch. No pressure.

Step 2: Entering the Dahlia Classification Process for Evaluation

Once I have a stable dahlia variety, it’s time to put it to the test in the dahlia classification process. The ADS has official trial gardens and competitions where new dahlias get judged on:

• Form – Does it fit into an ADS-recognized shape like a ball, cactus, or waterlily?
• Color – Is it a vibrant, stable hue, or does it change as it blooms?
• Stem Strength & Plant Health – Will it stand tall, proud, or flop over like a drama queen?
• Overall Uniqueness – Does it bring something new, or is it too similar to existing varieties?

Getting a dahlia approved takes years. Judges check each bloom. Only the best make it. And if I want my dahlia to become the next big thing, it must stand out in a field (literally and figuratively).

Step 3: Finalizing the Dahlia Classification Process with a Name

Once the ADS approves my dahlia, I can give it an official name. Some growers name dahlias after family. Others pick fun names. I’ll choose something unique—maybe ‘Cassell Hollow Farm Stunner’ will make the ADS list.

Naming matters because it cements a dahlia’s place in history. Once it’s registered, it can be sold, shared, and grown by gardeners everywhere. That’s when a personal passion project becomes a real contribution to the flower world.

A Deep Dive Into Dahlia History

While researching how to classify a dahlia, I fell down a historical rabbit hole. Some heirloom dahlias got ADS approval but are now lost. Maybe trends changed. Maybe tubers weren’t stored right. Or maybe no one saved them.

This got me wondering: how many of these old cultivars could still be out there, quietly growing in someone’s backyard, wholly forgotten? People are trying to save lost dahlias. They trade tubers and search old catalogs. Finding them takes history, detective work, and a love for flowers.

Why This Matters

Getting a dahlia classified is exciting. But it also saves unique genetics and keeps rare flowers from disappearing. The ADS classification system allows growers like me to introduce new varieties while honoring the ones that came before.

I’m in the early stages—planting seeds, watching them grow, and waiting to see if any stand out. If all goes well, by 2028 or later, I might have my very own “Cassell Hollow Farm” dahlia officially recognized. And who knows? Maybe I’ll even stumble upon a long-lost heirloom variety along the way.

Final Thoughts

This journey is thrilling but takes patience. The dahlia classification process is slow, but I’m in it for the long haul. If you’re also fascinated by dahlia history, lost cultivars, or even thinking about hybridizing your flowers, stick around! I’ll share updates as I navigate the process—from growing my first batch of seedlings to (hopefully) getting an official ADS-recognized variety down the road.

Got an old dahlia tuber in your grandma’s garden? Let’s talk. It might be a lost piece of floral history!

For more information on the Dahlia classification process:

American Dahlia Society – Classification Information
https://www.dahlia.org/varieties/classification/

University of Wisconsin-Madison – Dahlia Breeding
https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/

Royal Horticultural Society – Dahlia Growing Guide
https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/dahlias/growing-guide