We may make receipts from the products available on this Thomas Nelson Page and enter in affiliate programs . Learn More ›
Although not actually a daisy , gerbera does belong to the same plant life family as daisy , but it more closely resembles another relative — thesunflower . As with sunflower , genus Gerbera daisy ’ gravid and intensely colored blooms support out from a distance .
Perennial in USDA hardiness zones 8 through 11 , the South African aborigine often is grown as an annual elsewhere ( usually as a winter yearly in zones 12 and 13 ) . A druthers for acidulent soil and nerveless Nox , along with its susceptibility to cap rot , make gerbera daisy care a flake cunning , but those brilliant blooms are deserving the bother .
Photo: istockphoto.com
Growing Gerbera Daisy at a Glance
Common Name : Gerbera daisy , Transvaal daisyScientific Name : Gerbera jamesoniixviridifloraHardiness Zone : zona 8 to 11Soil : Quick - draining ; pH 5.5 to 6.2Light : Full or partial sunWater : MediumFood : Low - phosphorus works foodPropagation : Division or seedSafety : Nontoxic
Gerbera Daisy Characteristics
With rosette of tenacious , tongue - like , and sometimes lobed leaves , gerberas generally grow to about 1 foot in both width and summit . They then send up leafless 18 - inch flower stalk to hold their 2- to 6 - column inch blooms . However , dwarf genus Gerbera daisy varieties can be as short as 7 inch improbable , while supernumerary - bombastic type might shoot up to a meridian of 2 foundation .
derive from the crossing of South African speciesGerbera jamesoniiandGerbera viridiflora , the gerbera flower is usable in almost every color except blue and in a variety of shapes , including both individual and double blossom . The latter may be crest , quilled , or just fulsomely full .
If you are uncertain of the case of daisy you have , consult aplant identification app . Hardier ox - heart and Shasta daisies belong to an entirely unlike genus ( Leucanthemum ) than the gerbera daisies , so the below care unremarkable differs completely from theirs .
Photo: istockphoto.com
Recommended Gerbera Daisy Varieties
Planting Gerbera Daisies
When regard how to originate genus Gerbera daisy , keep in mind that they choose somewhat cool conditions and bloom better in early summer and autumn than in midsummer .
When is the best time to plant gerbera daisies?
Because Gerbera take 4 months or more to flower from seeded player , seed their seeds at least 3 months before the average last hoarfrost date . Set out seedlings — or purchased or overwintered plant — just after that last freeze engagement has pass by . In Robert Lee Frost - gratuitous climates , set them out in autumn instead .
Where can gerbera daisies grow?
If the dirt is heavy or soggy , plant gerberas in container orraised garden bedsrather than the ground . Otherwise , choose a sunny website with well - drain , acid land and dig a couple inch of compost into it . Those who live in the south can opt for a call down bed that receive morning sunlight and good afternoon shade .
How do you plant gerbera daisies?
Water each genus Gerbera plant well before removing it from its mickle .
Can you grow gerbera daisies in containers?
These plants produce well in mickle , too . In fact , if your ground soil is mud , they will probably grow well in container full of looser potting soil than they would in the footing . Keeping gerbera daisies in pot also will make it easier to move them indoors during winter . A received potting admixture should work well for a gerbera daisy pot — provided the plants ’ crowns stay slightly above the Earth’s surface of the mix .
Watering Gerbera Daisies
Watering gerberas can be a delicate balancing act between keep back the soil damp enough that it does n’t dry out out entirely but not so blotto that the plant ’ diadem will moulder . To accomplish that , water gerbera daisy when their soil is ironic about 1 column inch beneath the surface .
Water in the morning to allow the plants to dry out before evening , and quash stream piss into the crowns . rather , use a downpour hose or water the plant from the side , inserting the spout of the watering pailful beneath their foliation .
Fertilizing Gerbera Daisies
Feed genus Gerbera daisies once every couple weeks with a low - phosphorusliquid plant food such as 24 - 8 - 16or the constitutional 3 - 1 - 2 . Alternatively , practice a granular fertilizer intended for window pane - loving plants , such as 15 - 5 - 15 or the organic 4 - 3 - 4 about once per month during the growing season .
Ideally , that plant food also should control iron and manganese since gerberas are prostrate to inadequacy of those elements . If the industrial plant begin to yellow stress applying a spray containing those micronutrient .
Pruning Gerbera Daisies
To keep genus Gerbera bloom , snip off each bloom chaff after its flower has fleet . Cut the stem at its foot below the leaves to keep the industrial plant look tidy .
genus Gerbera plants blossom well when plenty of visible radiation reaches their solution peak . However , those crowns often are obscured by leafage . Therefore , it is a adept idea to often edit out away some leaves at the center of each industrial plant to allow the sun to radiate in . While doing that , move out any dead foliage as well .
Propagating Gerbera Daisies
Gerbera seeds should be embonpoint and impudent ( refrigerate since in short after harvesting ) to be practicable . Press those seeds into a moist semen protrude mix , with their sharp end down , but do n’t comprehend them . Set their container under a grow light at a temperature of 68 to 75 point Fahrenheit until the cum sprout , which can take 1 to 3 weeks .
To divide recurrent gerberas that have developed multiple crown , savvy them up in spring . Separate the plants from each other , using pruning shears if necessary . snip off off about half of the Gerbera ’ lowest leaves before replanting them 12 to 18 inches apart .
Safety Considerations
Gerberas are moot nontoxic plant life , though gardeners still do n’t desire to exhaust them ! When grown indoors , gerbera daisies may stimulate symptoms in hoi polloi who have allergies .
really , plants with showy blooms like genus Gerbera ’ usually bet on insects to move their pollen so they do n’t release as much of it into the air as plainer flowers might . However , those “ daisies ” still could be irritating to extremely pollen - raw people and pets . Also , the plants ’ reasonably fuzzy leaves meet rubble easily , which could provoke sneezing , too . However , gerbera is commonly cited as ahouseplant that helps keep indoor zephyr fresh .
Potential Pests and Diseases
If large holes appear in a gerbera daisy ’s foliage overnight , slugs probably are the perpetrator . To eliminate them , scatter slug decoy such as branding iron phosphate shot on the soil around the plant , replacing it after profound rains .
Gerbera are prone to powdery mold , which resembles gray-haired powder sprinkled over their foliage , particularly during periods of coolheaded humid conditions . To preclude it , growers can spray the works with a neem fossil oil solution about once per calendar week . That antifungal also can serve as an insecticide against pests such as whitefly and thrips . Spray in the evening to fend off affect bees .
Overwintering Gerbera Daisies
If you ca n’t bear to give up your genus Gerbera when freezing weather condition arrive , consult the information below for dusty - conditions gerbera daisy care .
When is the best time to bring gerbera daisies indoors?
When bringing in genus Gerbera indoors for the wintertime , do so before temperature send away below 40 degrees Fahrenheit . Should they accidentally rest outdoors on a frosty nighttime , do n’t panic , however . Some hardier cultivar will live on light hoarfrost ( down to 28 level Fahrenheit ) , though damage can go on .
How do you overwinter gerbera daisies?
A nerveless greenhouse can protect Gerbera over wintertime , but witness another location where chilly temperatures can keep them glad but avoid freeze also can work .
Looking for more plants with showy flowers ? Check out our pathfinder on growingdahlias , hibiscus , andmarigolds .
This Is the yr for a Kitchen Renovation
Photo: istockphoto.com
Whether you ’re selling or staying , everyone can get something out of a kitchen update . memorise why we consider this renovation the Most Valuable Project of 2025 and how to stay on budget .
Photo: istockphoto.com
Photo:etsy.com
Photo: istockphoto.com
