Gerbera daisies (Gerbera jamesonii) are bright, colorful flowers that are commonly planted in gardens as bedding plants or in containers in South Carolina. They are native to South Africa, are members of the aster family, and are also related to sunflowers and marigolds. The genus name, Gerbera was named in honor of the 18th-century German naturalist, Traugott Gerbera.
Gerbera daisies have long-lasting 3- to 4-inch flowers that come in numerous shades of yellow, white, pink, red, orange, lavender, salmon, and bicolored. The center floral disk can range from a yellowish to light-bronze to black in color. Each flower is attached to a leafless stem that raises about 6 inches above the plant’s foliage, which is a tall 12-inch wide clump of long, slightly “fuzzy” leaves. Gerberas produce flowers from late spring through autumn in the garden, and their blooms make long-lasting cut flowers. Gerbera daisies typically grow 6 to 18 inches tall.
