Saving the Gerbera (Gerbera jameonii)

The Gerbera is a lovely perennial, bold and sturdy it is one of those that makes you look twice in the flower section of the grocery store, and is usually on the shelves as the Easter lilies move past their best buy date in colder gardening zones.

Gerbera Features

The leaves are usually bushy and a dark healthy green, a showcase for its true the daisy qualities of colourful florets on thick stalks which make it a great cut flower.

Gerbera is a phenomenal air cleaner, according to studies conducted by NASA, it removes chemical toxins from the air, but you have to aware that you would really a lot of Gerberas to clean the air in your house.

Bringing it home

When I saw the white Gerbera peeping out from the usual palette of yellows, red, and orange at the grocery store, I knew it would be coming home with me.  White is one of the colours produced by commercial growers. It is a great indoor and outdoor plant which thrives in zone 8-11.

Killing Ms. Daisy

For a few weeks things seemed to be going well.  However, the spot on the bay window was just becoming too warm. They do like bright light but not like direct sunlight, you could see the leaves becoming pale.  And the soil mix was not allowing  the the correct amount of water through as evidenced by the wilting of the the lone white flower.

Oh no! I was killing it.

To the rescue:  to make amends I repotted it in a beautiful Chinese decorative pot with good drainage. I used the  African violet soil mix, as they have similar requirements.

The Gerbera jameonii cultivar, aka Transvaal daisy, is native to South Africa,  and is named after the German naturalist, Traugott Gerber.

You should only water the base of the plant, not the leaves.  If you over water this plant is susceptible to root rot and mildew on the leaves.

It doesn’t take long for the Gerbera to recover, once the conditions are right.  Within a couple of hours the leaves are upright and robust again, and the flower stems straighten upwards. I tried to find the perfect spot and settled on a kitchen counter with bright light coming through the window.

Don’t be afraid to trim away the weak foliage, and trim and use the flowers for floral arrangements which will help the new buds thrive.

Cut Flowers

They make spectacular cut flowers and last up to two weeks  in a vase if you maintain them. Make sure the vase is thoroughly cleaned as they are prone to bacteria which will make them bend over.

Fresh Air

As the weather changed so did the Gerbera, I found its only flower keeled over one morning in the kitchen.  I was at a loss, the humidity and light had changed.  After various aborted location changes, I knew the only option was to put it outside. And there it thrives now. It is still adjusting  to the outdoor summer conditions but it has several healthy buds. Maybe all it really needed was some fresh air. Just like we do.

Remember nothing is written in stone.  There are general requirements for a particular plant, and there are adjustments based on the variables in the surroundings.  For example, are you watering plants with water treated by a water softener?  When the thermostat is adjusted for the weather outside,  how is the humidity inside?

A common refrain for the Gerbera is morning sunlight not midday sun, as the temperature is too much, but this plant is from South Africa, and Madagascar, and thrived in its natural environment. It was pampered in a commercial nursery to make it viable for you.

So if you are in North America you have to assist the plant to adapt to its new normal – your house or garden. So out the door for the Gerbera, at least for the summer, and we will see what winter brings.

Do you have a Gerbera plant?  Share your experience in the comments.