Gerbera is a genus comprising about 40 species which are distributed from Africa across to Madagascar into tropical Asia and South America. They were first discovered in 1878 in South Africa by botanist R. Jameson and subsequently named after him.
They have become popular tender annuals for their large, daisy-like flowers which come in a wide range of bright, vivid, clear colors. Some of their common names include: Gerbera, Gerbera daisy, African daisy, Transvaal daisy or Barberton daisy.
In most parts of the United States they are usually grown as annuals, but can be treated as tender perennials that you can bring into your greenhouse or indoors as houseplants during the winter months.
These spectacular, eye-catching flowers are a complement to any garden, flower arrangement or bouquet, and have a long vase life. Their 2-5 inch single, daisy-shaped flowers have a velvet texture with green or dark centers and are cherished by florists and the Cut Flower Industry.
Originally only available in a handful of colors, the Gerbera has been hybridized to produce hundreds of varieties in all colors of the rainbow. Nurseries are constantly producing newer hybrids and cultivars, so new varieties are being introduced to the market all the time.
Some of the flower colors available today are pink, yellow, red, orange, salmon, lavender, rose, cream and white. All have dark green, deeply lobed foliage with white woolly undersides. They are great plants for adding color to any room or garden to create a festive and elegant display.
Does best when planted in full sun because they require a high light source to produce an abundance of flowers. They can be grown quite well in partially shaded positions, but tend to flower poorly. Plant should remain slightly moist at all times, especially when in flower.
Healthy plants are rarely bothered by pests, but poorly cared for or plants planted in a poor environment, can be attacked by Aphids, Whiteflies, Mites, Leaf Spots. To prevent fungus infections and stem rot which is often caused by over-watering, old leaves should be removed promptly.
Propagation may be achieved through seeds, cuttings or through dividing. Plant grown from seeds can greatly differ from the parent plants.
Seeds can be started indoors 10-20 weeks before the last frost. Place the pointed end of the seed down when sowing, and do not cover the seeds completely, as they need light to germinate, which takes 15-25 days. Move hardened-off plants to the garden after all danger off frost has passed.
Basal cuttings should be taken in summer, the addition of a rooting hormone may increase your success and shorten the time needed from cutting to potting into their own pots.
Divisions should be taken in early spring, try to minimize the damage to the plants root when dividing or transplanting.
Gerbera cut flowers have a vase life of up to 14 days. To prolong vase life every 4-5 days: change the water, rinse the vase and re-cut the flowers stem, this will double the life of your flower.
Landscape uses include annual borders, flower beds, cutting garden, containers and window boxes. They make great houseplants, or can also be grown in a cool greenhouse for cut flowers.
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