Dahlia - Peony of India

 dahlia
The dahlia is also known as Tenjikubotan (天竺牡丹) in Japanese, which literally means 'Peony of India'.According to the Japanese language of flowers, it means 'good taste'
 dahlia
 Dahlias are not the easiest of flowers to grow. They need to be staked so that the tall, enormous flowers don't fail. And even shorter versions that don't require staking need beds with great drainage
 dahlia
 But for those willing to do the work, the results are beautiful, colorful flowers whose blooms can sometimes reach a foot in diameter - the size of a dinner plate
 dahlia
 Though these flowers are native to Mexico, the European explorers who first documented them sent seeds home and made them incredibly popular in Europe
 dahlia
In more contemporary years, dahlias became very popular at flower shows and often take home large prizes, giving gardeners an incentive to start experimenting with dahlia hybrids