#dahliaseedling

[seedkeeping]

Today’s dahlia/cocoxochitl blooms! The top six are in our seedling trials patch - these are among the 40 that we are testing out as cut flowers and edible tubers this year. The bottom three are Deuil du Roi Albert, Bodacious, and one we renamed Ruby Fruit Jungle because it’s name was lost in a labeling mix up and Zoe (former apprentice) thought we should have more gayly named dahlias. By the way, there is a clearance sale on our remaining tubers - each bag (containing two tubers) is now only $1! Please order them all and give them homes! At www.trueloveseeds.com click on Dahlia Tubers and sort by price from lowest to highest. Please plant them and give them glorious life - they’ll do the same for you! #cocoxochitl #acocotli #dahlia #dahliaoftheday #dahliasofinstagram #trueloveseeds #dahliaseedling https://www.instagram.com/p/BzHS4oKA6iE/?igshid=uy4p9vm1rtbj

[seedkeeping]

All of these dahlias (aka cocoxochitl) came from seed this year and continue to thrive in the hoop house post-frost. Their parents are all elaborate floofy fancy dahlias, yet these mostly turned out fairly simple, and open-centered. I’ll replant my favorite and evaluate for productivity, stem length and strength, and beauty. Many of these, plus the less fabulous, will also be saved for tuber taste tests. Cocoxochitl and acocotli are Aztec words for dahlia, and Aztecs are the original cultivators of this plant for its edible tubers. #cocoxochitl #acocotli #dahliaseedling #dahlia https://www.instagram.com/p/BpS2-UZlT7p/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=34m6fs50xbdr

[seedkeeping]

All of these new varieties grew from seed at my farm. Originally used for their edible tubers by Aztecs who know them as Cocoxochitl and Acocotli, these plants have eight sets of chromosomes as well as jumping genes (aka transposons). Both factors contribute to a huge amount of variation in their flowers, leaves, tubers, etc. Any name ideas for these lookers? Middle row left of center is now called “Pegaloops” as of 60 seconds ago - chosen by a dear volunteer whose late pops called her that endearingly. #cocoxochitl #acocotli #dahlia #dahliaoftheday #dahliaseedling #dahliaseedlings

[seedkeeping]

64 Dahlia Seedlings! I remember first working with dahlias with William Woys Weaver being somewhat resentful for the amount of time we spent on them. Now I’m totally obsessed. Originally an Aztec food crop called Cocoxochitl, the tubers are edible. The plant has lotttts more chromosomes than your average creature, so like apples, when you grow them from true seeds (instead of asexually reproducing them through divisions, cuttings, or grafting), they surprise you by turning out pretty different than their parents. I’m particularly excited about the red-purple plants in the upper right-hand quadrant, which are seedlings from Truelove Weaver. I named that dahlia in honor of Will after he identified the seedling as his favorite last year among the 90 in my hoop house. He told me it had breeding potential. We will see! I already love all 64 of them. #dahliabreeding #cocoxochitl #acocotli #dahliaseedling #trueloveweaver