Lithuanian Dahlias Win Three Awards at International Competition in Paris

Dahlias bred at the Vytautas Magnus University (VMU) Botanical Garden in Kaunas have won three awards at the Concours International du Dahlia 2026, held at the Parc Floral de Paris. Two varieties developed by Dr Arūnas Balsevičius, Head of the Garden’s Exhibitions and Collections Department, impressed both the international jury and the French public.

‘Luna Mistica’

The biggest success belonged to ‘Luna Mistica’, which won the Prix Grands Dahlia, one of the competition’s two main awards, presented to the best tall dahlia. The lilac-violet variety, notable for its abundant flowers, also received the Prix des Amateurs, recognising outstanding varieties developed by non-commercial breeders.

Another Lithuanian variety, ‘Rossa Mistica’, won the Critérium du Public, taking first place in the public vote.

“This is arguably the highest recognition ever achieved by a single Lithuanian-bred ornamental plant variety,” said Dr Balsevičius.

‘Rosa Mistica’

Lithuanian Dahlias Continue Their Success in Paris

The Paris competition has been held for more than three decades and brings together dahlia breeders from different countries. This year’s entries represented seven countries: France, Germany, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands and Poland.

For Dr Balsevičius, the awards mark another milestone in a series of successful appearances in Paris. His dahlias have received recognition in previous years, including the Public Prize for ‘Étoile du Jardin’ in 2024.

The 2026 competition also highlighted a connection between Paris and Kaunas. The French-bred ‘Moonflower’, developed by Ernest Turc, won the main prize for dwarf dahlias in Paris after receiving the Grand Prix at the international dahlia competition held at VMU Botanical Garden in Kaunas earlier this season.

For the Lithuanian breeder, the visit offered an opportunity to exchange experience with international colleagues, observe emerging trends in dahlia breeding and strengthen professional ties between the botanical gardens and horticultural communities of Kaunas and Paris.