Dahlia pinnata aka Dahlia

Dahlia pinnata is in the daisy family, also called Asteraceae. Kew lists it as a grown plant from Mexico. Useful Tropical Plants also says it comes from Mexico. That source notes plants now grow wild across much of Central America. The RHS says it is not native to Britain or Ireland. It accepts the name Dahlia pinnata. It lists Dahlia variabilis as another name for the same species. This species helped give rise to the dahlias grown in gardens. That does not mean each garden dahlia belongs to this species.

This plant lives for years and has soft, not woody, stems. It grows from a rootstock with tubers, which are swollen parts. Its stems form a clump and seldom branch. The full account gives a usual height of 3.3–4.9 feet [1–1.5 metres]. Some plants reach about 5.9 feet [1.8 metres]. The same source's short summary gives 3.3 feet [1 metre]. The fuller range is a better guide to its full height. The supplied account does not say how wide this species grows. It gives no details on this species' leaf shape or fruit. Insects carry pollen to the flowers. The plant cannot set seed with its own pollen.

Records place it in damp, rich woods with oak and pine. It also grows in sandy meadows and on rocky slopes. Meadow and woodland records reach about 5,900 feet [1,800 metres]. Slope records range from about 6,900–9,800 feet [2,100–3,000 metres]. Kew places it in a tropical climate with dry seasons. These records show where it grows, not a tested garden-care plan. The supplied evidence gives no firm rating for its cold tolerance. It gives no clear garden guide for water, soil, or light. The account notes both wild plants and plants grown for their looks.

People in Mexico ate its tubers before European contact. They also used them as medicine at that time. A few people still eat the tubers. People gather roots from wild plants to sell in local markets. The evidence gives no way to prepare them or dose for medicine. It gives no account of pests or diseases for this species. It does not show whether this species harms people or pets. The source's safety note deals with other dahlias. It does not confirm risks from this species.