This Article From Issue
May-June 2022
Volume 110, Number 3
Page 136
What Causes Different Colors?
The colors of dahlia flowers are a result of anthocyanin-, chalcone-, and aurone-derived pigments. Colorless flavones interact with and stabilize anthocyanin pigments, which also influences dahlia flower color.
Why don't we see blue dahlias?
A single enzyme, flavonoid 3’,5’H-hydroxylase (F3’5’H), is responsible for generating the precursor to the anthocyanidin delphinidin. Delphinidin-derived anthocyanins give blue colors. Dahlias cannot make the F3’5’H enzyme, so blue dahlias aren’t possible.
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