Seedlings Gallery

I started growing dahlias from seed a few years ago, and it has been the most ultimate treasure hunt. Unlike tubers, which are identical clones of the mother plant, every single dahlia seed is a genetic lottery ticket, a brand new variety that has never existed before. Dahlias are particularly exciting as their genetic instructions can result in a huge amount of genetic diversity - one reason is because they are "octoploids", meaning they have 8 sets of chromosomes instead of the 2 that we humans and most plants have. 

The unique seedlings below grew from seeds I collected from open pollinated blooms (the bees take all the credit for their pollination efforts!). Many of them I have been growing and observing for a couple of years, and I hope to share them soon in the near future!

I try to name all my seedlings based on my initial reaction to the bloom, as it helps me remember them through the years. Many are tentative names, especially the second and first-year seedlings!