Gerber daisies (Gerbera jamesonii) can also be called Transvaal daisies, because they originate from Transvaal, South Africa. The members of the sunflower family grow as perennials at U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 8 through 10. In wet and cold winter climates, these big perennials are grown as annuals. Just a couple of these plants can fill a huge area in the flower garden.
Height
Gerber daisies produce 12-inch-wide rosettes of spoon-shaped evergreen leaves. The leaves grow up to 10 inches long. Strong 18-inch-tall stems are topped with the daisy-like blossoms. The flowers are held approximately 6 inches above the leaves. One full- grown gerber daisy plant can maintain almost 3 feet of space if the leaves along with rosette grow as anticipated.
Bloom Size
Gerber daisy flowers are available in many bright colours such as orange, yellow and red. The ray petals surround a bronze-yellow or dark-colored center. Different varieties make single and double rows of petals. Some hybrids generate a fluffy-looking blossom. The majority of the flowers grow 4 to 5 inches broad. The magnitude of the blossoms as well as the fact that they are on almost naked stems make them good cut flowers.
Plant Spacing
These flowers can be planted by themselves as showcase plants or bunched together. To fully fill an area with these flowers, plant seedlings 12 to 18 inches apart using the crown a bit above the soil. Since these flowers grow, they have a tendency to dig themselves down into the soil. From the next year, the crown is underground in which the moisture content of the soil causes root rot. The best practice would be to dig up big plants every 2 decades and divide them.
Smaller Varieties
Smaller gerber daisy varieties are called dwarf or miniature. They achieve less than 12 inches tall with smaller leaves and flowers than the standard-sized gerber daisies. These smaller plants are spaced 12 inches apart in the garden and are available in as many colours as the full-sized gerber daisies. One dwarf variety is that the “Jaguar” gerber daisy (Gerbera jamesonii “Jaguar”), that reaches 8 to 12 inches tall with leaves around 8 inches long. The flower stems hold up to five blooms, each 3 to 4 inches across.