"Most double flowers are of little use, because they're too elaborate. Some are bred without male and female parts, while others have so many petals bees can't get to the nectar and pollen to collect it. This is the main reason why single dahlias are popular with many bees, while doubles are usually ignored."
There are a few varieties of dahlias that bees like. I have one called Pooh and it was covered with bees last summer. Just like what was said from Dan, it has to be the single pedal type with the yellow center.
I sowed “200+ Dahlia Single Dwarf Mix - Dahlia variabilis” ($4 from amazon) in small pots indoors in late winter, moved them to my unheated greenhouse in early spring, then planted out in May. They began flowering in July. For a while, they only attracted bumbles but honey bees began to visit them since late August. My double-flowered dahlias never attracted bees.
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