A Family History Rooted in Dahlias

Dahlias are more than another seasonal flower to our family. My father, Nicolaas Kops, grew and bred dahlias in Hillegom, a Dutch community with a long tradition of commercial flower and bulb production.

Both my father and my mother, Susanna, were actively involved in our small family nursery. Like many family businesses, it was never simply one person’s work. Growing, propagating and caring for plants required the dedication of the entire family.

Growing dahlias on that scale required far more than planting a few tubers and waiting for flowers. It involved propagation, labeling, cultivar selection, field management, supporting the plants, harvesting and carefully evaluating individual varieties.

My father appreciated dahlias as a grower and breeder. He studied their forms, colors, growth habits and distinguishing characteristics with the attention that only a true dahlia specialist could provide.

He probably would have laughed to see us using dahlias as cut flowers today. To him, their greatest value was in the plant, the field and the development of the variety—not necessarily in how many days a bloom would last in a customer’s vase.

Times and floral styles change. Dahlias have become highly desirable in garden-inspired arrangements, weddings and seasonal floral designs. Their layered petals, remarkable colors and diverse forms provide a character that is difficult to duplicate with any other flower.

Growing Dahlias Begins Long Before They Bloom

The work behind a field of dahlias begins months before the first flowers appear. Individual plants must be propagated, identified and monitored so that varieties remain correctly separated and their characteristics can be evaluated.

This photograph shows the organization behind the flowers. Each young plant was labeled and tended individually. That attention to detail was essential to growing dahlias professionally, evaluating new selections and preserving the identity of different cultivars.

The finished blooms may appear effortless, but their beauty is the result of months of propagation, planting, supporting, watering, selection and field work.

Dahlias After Retirement

My father eventually retired and sold the nursery, but he did not stop growing dahlias. He continued tending his own field, using the same orderly rows and extensive support system that had been part of his professional life.

That may say more about his connection to dahlias than anything else. Once the commercial nursery was gone, the interest remained. Growing them was not simply his occupation. It was part of who he was.

From the Field to Harvest

By harvest time, the disciplined rows and individually tended plants produced an extraordinary range of colors, sizes and forms.

Looking at these buckets helps explain why florists and customers find dahlias irresistible. Few flower families offer such an extensive combination of rich colors, contrasting centers, petal structures and bloom shapes.

Dahlias Were Part of Our Family Life

Dahlia growing was not confined to the nursery or fields. The flowers were also part of exhibitions and the wider community of growers, breeders and enthusiasts who gathered to display and appreciate exceptional varieties.

This photograph is an important part of the story because it shows that dahlias were more than a crop. They brought together growers, families and flower enthusiasts. My mother, Susanna, shared in that world alongside my father and was actively involved in our small nursery.

How Long Do Cut Dahlias Last?

Customers are sometimes surprised to learn that dahlias generally do not have the vase life of carnations, chrysanthemums or certain roses. Some of the larger and more delicate varieties may look their best for only two or three days under ordinary household conditions.

With careful variety selection, proper harvesting, professional conditioning and attentive home care, certain dahlias can last longer. The American Dahlia Society describes approximately five days in the customer’s home as an ideal vase-life target for cut dahlias.

Actual performance varies considerably. The individual cultivar, maturity at harvest, transportation, temperature, water cleanliness and care after delivery can all affect how long a bloom remains attractive.

That variability is why we do not promise that every dahlia will last a specific number of days. We would rather provide an honest expectation than oversell a beautiful but naturally short-lived flower.

Which Dahlia Varieties Have the Best Vase Life?

In our experience, ball dahlias and certain decorative dahlias are generally among the more dependable choices for floral work. Their structure and manageable size can make them easier to handle and more practical in mixed arrangements.

However, it would be inaccurate to say that ball and decorative dahlias are the only forms with reasonable vase life. Individual cultivar genetics matter greatly. Published breeding research has also identified promising long-lived selections among formal decorative and semi-cactus dahlias.

Researchers have documented considerable differences among individual cultivars, even within the same general flower form. Modern breeding programs have produced selected dahlia lines with substantially improved vase life.

Flower form can help guide selection, but it does not provide a guarantee. The particular variety and the way it is harvested, transported and conditioned may be equally important.

Why We Often Use Dahlias in Mixed Arrangements

A mixed arrangement lets us feature the seasonal beauty of a dahlia without making the entire design dependent on a flower with a brief vase life.

In the pink arrangement inspected by Ivy, a dahlia is surrounded by complementary flowers including calla lilies, spray roses, lisianthus and seasonal accents. The dahlia contributes its unmistakable form and texture during the first part of the arrangement’s life.

When the dahlia eventually fades, the recipient can remove that individual flower while continuing to enjoy the remaining blooms. This is often more practical than making an entire gift arrangement with flowers that may decline at approximately the same time.

For birthdays, anniversaries, thank-you gifts and everyday flower deliveries, a mixed arrangement offers an excellent balance between seasonal beauty and practical vase life.

Can You Order an Arrangement Made Entirely With Dahlias?

When seasonal availability permits, we may create an arrangement made primarily or entirely with dahlias. Before accepting that type of order, we explain the flowers’ expected lifespan and special care requirements.

A full dahlia arrangement can be breathtaking for a dinner, event, wedding or occasion where immediate visual impact is more important than extended vase life. It may not be the best choice for someone whose highest priority is an arrangement that remains substantially unchanged for a week or longer.

Our job is not simply to say yes to every request. It is to help customers choose flowers that fit their occasion, expectations and priorities.

How to Care for Cut Dahlias

Dahlia vase life can never be guaranteed, but proper care gives these delicate flowers their best opportunity to perform.

• Keep the arrangement cool. Place it away from direct sunlight, heating vents, fireplaces and hot windows.
• Check the water every day. Dahlias can be thirsty flowers. Never allow the vase or arrangement container to run dry.
• Keep the water clean. When the design allows it, refresh the water regularly and follow the florist’s supplied care instructions.
• Keep foliage above the waterline. Leaves submerged in water can decay and encourage bacterial growth.
• Protect the flowers from heat. High temperatures can accelerate wilting and shorten the useful life of delicate blooms.
• Remove faded flowers. In a mixed arrangement, gently removing a finished dahlia allows the remaining flowers to continue opening and being enjoyed.
• Keep flowers away from ripening fruit. Fruit can release ethylene gas, which may accelerate the aging of sensitive flowers.

Dahlia Season in Colorado

Colorado dahlia season generally begins during the summer and continues into early fall. It ends when freezing weather damages the plants. Exact timing and availability vary according to the season, local production and weather conditions.

Because dahlias are seasonal and delicate, we cannot promise a particular cultivar, color or size unless it has been confirmed for a specific order. When substitutions are necessary, we preserve the arrangement’s overall style and color direction while using flowers of equal or greater value.

From Nicolaas and Susanna Kops to 5280Flowers

Today, Amy and I work with dahlias differently than my parents did. My father approached them as a grower and breeder, while both he and my mother helped operate our small family nursery. We now work with them as floral designers, selecting individual blooms for the color, movement and texture they bring to an arrangement.

The work is different, but the respect for the flower remains. Knowing what went into my parents’ nursery and my father’s fields gives us a deep appreciation for every dahlia that reaches our design table.

We love working with dahlias precisely because they are seasonal, distinctive and temporary. We also believe customers deserve honest information about how the flowers are likely to perform.

My parents passed away in 2015 and 2016, but their influence remains part of our family and our work. This article is dedicated to Nicolaas and Susanna Kops, with love and gratitude for everything they taught us about flowers, family and the value of hard work.

That combination of family experience, floral artistry and honest expectations guides every arrangement we make—even if Nicolaas Kops might still have laughed at the sight of one of his beloved dahlias being placed in a florist’s vase.

Quality Control Officer Ivy, on the other hand, appears to approve.