Queentessence codex floralis on display at the Mexican Embassy in the United Kingdom.

The Dahlia, a favourite in many cities around the world...

The Dahlia Acocoxóchitl or Acocotli in nahuatl the Mexican National Flower, has a remarkable story.

In Mexica and Aztec times, the flower was commonly used as an edible plant, medicine, for colouring cotton textiles and their stems were used like tools to drink.

An Aztec Myth says the deity Xochiquétzal ("flower precious feather") was resting sleeping and a bat sent by Quetzalcoatl bitten her vulva, and all the flowers came along.

The story in Europe started with 3 varieties Dahlia pinnata, Dahlia coccinea and Dahlia rosea that the Spanish explorers in the Renaissance era took from Mexico to Spain. The Royal Botanical Garden in Madrid, Spain, José Antonio Cavanilles the director, started to breed dahlias and sent them to other European countries.

In The Victorian era the flower became a symbol of good taste and distinction. It was also known to be one of the favourites of Queen Victoria.

Such has been the care and enthusiasm of horticulturists around the world that, incredibly, there are now more than 64,000 varieties! Colours, shapes, sizes of this joyous flower.

The RHS is the world authority to register new varieties.

Sources and photographs: RHS Lindley Library. Documentary Dalia, la reina coronada de la flora mexicana. Wikipedia. Xochiquétzal Wikipedia Commons. Flowers from Holland Park and Chelsea Physic Garden. Printed flowers and specimen credit: Real Jardín Botánico Madrid.