Dickeya dadantii is a gram-negative bacillus that belongs to the family Pectobacteriaceae. It was formerly known as "Erwinia chrysanthemi" but was reassigned as "Dickeya dadantii" in 2005. Members of this family are facultative anaerobes, able to ferment sugars to lactic acid, have nitrate reductase, but lack oxidases. Even though many clinical pathogens are part of the order Enterobacterales, most members of this family are plant pathogens. "D. dadantii" is a motile, nonsporing, straight rod-shaped cell with rounded ends. Cells range in size from 0.8 to 3.2 μm by 0.5 to 0.8 μm and are surrounded by numerous flagella (peritrichous).