Are there dahlias that will do well in zone 9?
Also, I remember my mother had a lavender pass along dahlia when I was a child in the Shreveport area (zone 8) does anyone have a name for that dahlia or a source for it?

Thanks
Joyce

Welcome Joyce!

I'm sorry I don't know about growing dahlias in your zone. You may want to check www.dahlias.com

I have to dig mine up every fall.

Joyce, it probably depends on more than just the zone. Dahlias grow very well in my zone 9 garden, but I have very low humidity, and I don't know whether they'd do as well in zone 9 in Texas.

Hello Joyce and welcome! Dahlias are native to and grow wild in many parts of Mexico they are also the national flower of Mexico so i would think they would do very well in zone 9. There may be hybrids that have been designed for colder climates, i don't know. But if you find dahlias that haven't been altered genetically too much, they should do well in your climate. I don't know about the lavender dahlia that you describe. Good luck in finding it!

I have tried Dahlias last year, they grew but no blooms..I think we lack the full sun it needs, since my garden is shaded by my house during early morning and then by the city trees in the afternoon. It grows nicely in my low humidity area, but needs full sun. But I may try again this year.

I know a couple of people who have tried to grow dahlias here in FL. They both said it was a constant fight with insects and fungal disease, and they both gave up after one year. If your summers had fairly low humidity, you may do ok with them, but I just looked up Port Arthur, you're pretty humid there in summer. (I sailed a regatta in Houston in July once . . . whoa, hot!)

Another way to find out is to ask your neighbors. If there's someone with a great looking garden nearby, see what they say.

We also do have a forum specifically for Dahlias, so you might ask the folks over there if any of them grow in humid places.

Hi & welcome!

Dahlias grow fine here, and have always come back so far after planting them about 4 yrs ago. But even after establishing themselves, still need to be staked. The ones I have were ordinary, cheap ones from the bagged spring bulbs display nearly every store has in the spring. I didn't keep track of their names, but one is pink & one is dark purple.

I had dahlias in zone 10a. They did fine until the whiteflies killed them off.