One of the most popular ornamental flowers around the world, Gerbera is surely a key piece in the plant collection of every respectable gardener. This marvellous perennial is native to the tropical regions of South America, Asia, and Africa. In general, it grows in sandy soils, rocky slopes, grasslands, and wide-open rural landscapes.
Gerbera comes along with thousands of cultivars that feature various shapes, sizes, and colours. Until now, our top picks of Gerbera include Hilton daisy, Barberton daisy, G. Sweet Memories, G. Sweet Surprise, G. Sylvana, G. Watermelon, G. Rose Picotee, G. Champagne, and G. Bicolor Red Lemon. But you can always find more specimens that suit your taste!
Keep reading our guide to growing and caring for Gerbera to find out more interesting facts about this beautiful flower!
About Gerbera
- The domesticated Gerbera varieties are usually the result of a cross between the G. jamesonii and G. viridifolia species. In cultivation, most growers know this hybrid as Gerbera hybrida. It comes in different colours or hypnotic mixes.
- Gerbera plants have lots of commercial importance. They are the fifth most used cut flowers worldwide after Rose, Dianthus, Chrysanthemum, and Tulip. People call the small Gerbera cultivars “Gerbrinis”.
- Although somewhat tender, Gerbera thrives with minimal care and is also resistant to deer. Its lovely blossoms are highly attractive to butterflies, bees, and birds.
- Gerbera can make for a wonderful addition to a wide range of landscape decorations. It is great for cutting gardens, tropical gardens, beds, borders, edging, containers, and even for cute bouquets as cut flowers.
- This beauty is an excellent companion plant to numerous other showy species of plants. You can plant it near plants like Dahlia, Dichondra, Helichrysum, Heliotrope, Hydrangea, Lily, Lobelia, Pansy, Portulaca, Ranunculus, Sage, or Tulip.
- Apart from its decorative uses, Gerbera also plays a big part in traditional medicine. The plant has anti-inflammatory properties. Likewise, it is a great treatment against bronchitis, respiratory problems, colds, digestive issues, sores, wounds, or scratches.
Gerbera Features: An Overview
- Member of the large Asteraceae family, Gerbera shares it with many other interesting species of flowering plants. Some of these are Aster, African Daisy, Sunflower, Chrysanthemum, Marigold, Dahlia, Dandelion, Cornflower, and Cosmos.
- Gerbera is a herbaceous perennial plant. Depending on the cultivar, this plant can reach from 4 to 24 inches (10-60 cm) in height and 6 to 18 inches (15-45 cm) in width.
- Its foliage consists of basal rosettes of tongue-shaped, lobed, and light green to dark green leaves that come with several veins. The leaves typically measure up to 10 inches (25 cm) in length.
- Gerbera can bloom almost any time of the year as a perennial, with the most profuse show in early summer through late autumn. The plant can produce either single or semi-double daisy-like flowers of up to 5 inches (12 cm) in diameter.
- The blossoms appear on upright, slim yet sturdy, naked, and green stems well above the basal foliage. Each flower is a capitulum, which actually features hundreds of individual tiny blooms.
- From one cultivar to another, the flowers of this plant can exhibit different shades of white, red, yellow, orange, pink, salmon, lavender, or purple. Their petals often show up in more than one single colour.
Growing Gerbera
Gerbera daisy will have the time of its life in a location where it can receive lots of full sunlight. However, this plant cannot tolerate intense heat and too much of it will actually result in scorched leaves and leggy flowers. In climates with hot summers or harsh afternoons, we suggest you grow your Gerbera where it can experience some shade. Indoors, place your Gerbera plants near or in front of east, south, or north-facing windows.
When it comes to temperatures, Gerbera thrives in the USDA hardiness zones 8 to 11. This flower can grow just fine in winter temperatures that range from 45 to 50 °F (7-10 °C). Still, your plant will require extra winter protection if you live in region 8. In this particular area, most gardeners prefer to grow their Gerbera daisies as potted specimens or annuals.
Some pests like aphids, spider mites, whiteflies, and thrips may feed on the leaves of your Gerbera once in a while. The good news, though, is that you can easily avoid this from happening by growing your plant in proper environmental conditions. In case of infestation, however, you must remove the intruders with a strong water spray, then apply insecticidal soap or neem oil to make sure you get rid of them.
- Gerbera daisies grow as a perennial flower in USDA zones 8 - 10. In colder zones, gerberas will grow as an annual plant.
- This beautiful gerbera heirloom flower seed mix only grows to 10 - 14 inches tall making it ideal for containers, bedding plants, or even grow gerbera daisy flowers indoors.
- This seed mix has shades of pink, rose and watermelon-red. The daisy-like blooms are 3 – 4 inches across and are on thick stems making them great for cutting.
- Grow gerberas in full sun to partial shade and in rich, well-drained soil. In areas with long growing seasons, Gerbera can be grown directly outside in prepared seedbeds.
- Sow 2 - 3 of these non gmo seeds for every gerbera plant your want growing in your flower garden. You can also grow gerbera daisies indoors as potted plants and use them as a cutflower to make beautiful bouqets.
- Gerbera daisies grow as a perennial flower in USDA zones 8 - 10. In colder zones, gerberas will grow as an annual plant.
- Grow gerberas in full sun to partial shade and in rich, well-drained soil. In areas with long growing seasons, Gerbera can be grown directly outside in prepared seedbeds.
- This beautiful gerbera heirloom flower seed mix only grows to 10 - 14 inches tall making it ideal for containers, bedding plants, or even grow gerbera daisy flowers indoors.
- This seed mix has shades of pink, rose and watermelon-red. The daisy-like blooms are 3 – 4 inches across and are on thick stems making them great for cutting.
- Sow 2 - 3 of these non gmo seeds for every gerbera plant your want growing in your flower garden. You can also grow gerbera daisies indoors as potted plants and use them as a cutflower to make beautiful bouqets.
- Sunlight: Partial Shade
- Soil Type: Peat, Sand
- USDA Hardiness Zone (°F): 9 (20 to 30 °F)
- Watering: Medium
Last update on 2023-07-31 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Planting Gerbera
For optimal growth, we recommend planting your Gerbera in well-draining soil that is rich in organic matter. You will have to pay more attention to the pH level of the substrate. In general, Gerbera prefers soils with a pH between 5.5 and 6.5. Nothing more, nothing less! While a lower pH level can result in black spots or patches on the foliage, a pH that is too high may cause yellow stripes on the leaves.
If you manage to find the ideal soil for your Gerbera, you will not have to fertilize it too often. You can simply add some organic compost around the roots of your plants once every month. Likewise, monthly applications of a water-soluble fertilizer from late spring through late autumn will keep your Gerbera in full bloom.
One of the most common questions among Gerbera growers is, of course, how to get their plants to bloom nicely. But the solution is not much of a secret! Like many plants that are repeat bloomers, Gerbera will show its splendour only if you prune and deadhead it regularly. This process consists of trimming off any unhealthy or diseased leaves and all the spent flowers. Moreover, you should also cut your Gerbera back to about one inch (2.5 cm) above soil level just before the first expected frost in your region.
Watering Gerbera
Gerbera is a plant that comes from the tropics, so it usually performs best with regular watering. As a rule, this flower will need no more than one inch (2.5 cm) of water once every week. Since it is susceptible to fungal diseases and root rot, you will have to be careful not to over-water your plant. But no worries! We have the greatest trick to avoid this issue!
First things first, you must always check the soil in which your Gerbera grows in-between waterings. Make sure you spoil your plant with a drink when the top one or two inches (2.5-5 cm) of soil feels dry to the touch. In terms of humidity, Gerbera has no special demands.
New, young specimens will require more water than mature, established ones. During the first season of growth, you will need to water your Gerbera more frequently to maintain its soil constantly damp. Moreover, because the plant goes dormant in winter, it will do just fine with just a bit of water once every month during this period.
Propagating Gerbera
Gerbera plants will put on the most gorgeous display when you plant them in masses. If you have only one specimen in your collection, do not get discouraged! You can easily obtain more of these spectacular flowers by propagating yours through division, cuttings, or seed. And, believe us, you will also have a bit of fun along the way!
Gerbera usually responds well to division once it has settled in its new home and reaches maturity. In early spring, you will have to dig the flower out of its growing medium. After this step, section its roots in two parts and replant each in its permanent location. Make sure you water the new Gerbera plants to give them a nice start.
Once the summer shows up, you can propagate your Gerbera through cuttings. In general, you must take cuttings from the base or the side shoots for the best results. Before planting, you can dip the cut ends of the cuttings in rooting hormone to help them develop a root system faster. After this, plant the cuttings in fresh well-draining soil and water them whenever the substrate feels dry to the touch.
You can also start your own Gerbera from seeds, but this method will take more time to give you feedback than the previous ones. Sow the seeds directly in the ground once the last sign of frost has passed, usually in early spring. Keep in mind that you should only press the seeds gently onto the top layer of soil to allow them to get enough light for germination. If you provide the seeds with water regularly, the seedlings will begin to show up after a month or so.
In Conclusion
When it comes to Gerbera, it is safe to say that this flower is a must-have, especially if you’re an admirer of colourful blooms! As long as you can simulate the tropical native habitat of this plant at home, it is relatively easy to grow and care for. And with so many colourful and exquisite cultivars to choose from, you can make your unique collection of colour mixes in little to no time.
Are you growing Gerbera? Let us know in the comments!
