PlantFiles: Gerbera Daisy, Transvaal Daisy, African Daisy, Barberton Daisy, Gerber Daisy
Gerbera jamesonii

While everyone around me does beautifully with this plant, I've killed 3. Now when I get them as gifts, from wedding centerpieces, etc., I give them away because I know that I just can't keep them alive.

The first one was a gift. I overwatered it, so I bought a replacement and watered it only when the soil got dry. THAT ONE MOLDED TOO! It lingered in agony for 4 or 5 months before it finally died. It got a powdery mildew that I couldn't control.

After that, I never bought another one. When I got another as a gift, I put it outside thinking that they needed more light. That rotted, too.

I QUIT.

Planted 30 of these last spring and all 30 made it through the winter thanks to the pine straw I covered them with. Unbelievable!

Love this plant!! I have several growing directly in the ground zone 7b. They return each year very early. They started blooming this year in May and show no signs of stopping. Mine grow in full sun and are not bothered by the heat. They do need supplemental watering during droughts. Very tough little plant. I have never been lucky enough to get seeds to germinate on this one.

Gerber Daisy given to us as gift. It's in a small pot (half gallon size) and I water it on the south deck once a morning with about a pint of water +. I did fertilize with two tablespoons of miracle grow in spring. Exposed to sun from 9AM to 3PM.
Beautiful red flowers continuous all spring and summer. After reading previous info I'm bringing it in this winter and will try to get seeds for spring planting outside.
Cumming, Georgia is about 50 miles NNE of downtown Atlanta.

As a new urban gardener hesitant to use any chemicals..I have 5 plants, 2 in baskets (orange and red with lobelia), 1 alone in a terracotta pot (yellow) and two in a window box (orange with pansies). All are basically on the front porch and 4 of the five are doing phenomenal, 2 had 8 flowers at once and they are continually flowering (5-6 on other plants at a time)! However my lone yellow one had only 3 flowers and has not flowered again. The leaves are wilted and slightly reddish in color, although I do see new leaf growth. All are watered the same and occasionally added coffee grounds or egg shells; they are exposed to the same morning to 2pm sun. How can I revive my yellow one and what have I done wrong? Also, if I would like to keep these as a year around plant, what should I do to eventually prep them for that move? Thanks.

I live in zone 8b and we had a red one that was planted in a sheltered location, mulched, with eastern exposure and it returned for about 3 years. I don't know beyond that because we moved and it got left behind. It was a little slow to emerge in the spring but it always bloomed. Never had any problems with disease or pests.

Rabbits loves to eat it if the wilt doesn't get it.

My Gerbera bloomed constantly indoors all winter long! Last spring I planted it in a terra cotta pot and mulched it with light colored gravel. In the fall, I sprayed the plant with insecticidal soap and brought it inside. I kept the pot in a warm room by a south facing window. My house is heated by steam radiators, so the air has a bit of humidity. I deadheaded and removed yellowing leaves on a regular basis. Several times I let the pot get too dry and the plant wilted a bit, but it recovered nicely after being watered.

When collecting and sharing seeds for Gerbera, please make sure that the seeds are slightly fatter in the middle than at the ends, the seeds that are straight like a thick hair are not viable. Only the seeds that have a bit wider middle and sometimes with a slight curve to them will work. Will try to get a photo of the seeds.

I was very pleased with my Gerbera's performance. Mine bloomed continually nearly all summer and is still in full bloom. A very bright spot in my flower garden, plus I have one in a large pot so I can move it around. I have the orange one and did not know it was a perennial, but am happy to hear so. Am going to try to save some seeds.

I purchased three gerber daisy plants about two months ago, and i have had amazing luck with them. I have a pink plant, a yellow plant, and an orange plant. The orange plant has five full blooms and a few coming up. The yellow and pink ones have three flowers each and more on the way. I had them in pots but they have outgrown them so I am in the process of transplanting them into bigger pots. I water them every day but just a little and only at the roots. Once a week I sprinkle the flowers with a light mist. Seems so easy I hope my luck continues.

This is my first time growing this plant. I have sand, mushroom compost and pine bark conditioner and have planted it in full sun.

I live in zone 8, Hereford, AZ. I planted a Gerber Daisy a couuple of years ago to add some bright color to my garden, I really didn't know if it was a annual or perenial at the time. I half expected it to die come winter. Here it is a few years later and it is thriving. I grow it under a large mesquite tree with canna lilies all around it. When the ground dries out, which is often around here I water them. They stay very wet during our summer monsoon rains. It also lasts quite a while as a cut flower. I just purchased 2 more yesterday, I can't wait to see if they grow just as well. Here's hoping.

A few years before my wife died in 1993, she planted several Gerber daisies in a small bed at the base of a bur oak tree. The area is quite shady most of the day in the summer with only an hour or so of sun in the morning. Until recently I pretty much ignored these beautiful little plants. Last year I started watering, fertilizing and mulching them regularly. Before my attention they were doing pretty good; now they're doing very good. I like them a lot and am trying to capture seeds from them. So far I've not had much luck with that.

I live in zone 8 and I have grown gerber daises for 3 years now and they came back each time.I have the yellow,orange and red. I left them in the ground and mulched very heavy in the winter. Their are two yellow flowers blooming now and new buds about to burst open.

I have more of a taste for odd looking plants and cacti, but when my wife demanded a 'colorful' border these three came home with me (along with colorful oddball gaillardia 'fanfare' - ha!). Upon reading their description of hating water I decided to pot them so I could protect them from our winter rains that rot almost anything. I put them on the west side of a fence so they'd get plenty of sun, but every day they'd be wilted when I got home. Even watering twice a day was no good. I moved them to an east facing wall and they did a little better wilt-wise, but asked for more light. Exasperated I put their pot in a deep saucer and put them back in the sun and they've been flourishing ever since as long as I keep the saucer full of water. They've never had a mildew or rot problem, but with so many warnings about it there must be some truth to that.

Anyway, the morel of the story is that gerberas have a love-hate relationship with water, requiring soil that is constantly quite moist.

If they can handle the rainy winter I'll plant many more of them as their flowers and foliage are well above average.

I'm finishing my first summer at a new place, and, as usual, have enjoyed the surprises of what pops out of the ground from previous owners. A pretty, bright red Gerbera was one of them (my first one)... which I thought was odd since I'd understood that they were annuals. I'm guessing it grew itself from seed? It's been chugging along since June, producing bloom after bloom, up to 4 or 5 at a time! And asking for NO water from me (rain was enough) the entire time (which is really something in the HOT DC July.
I did recently make a huge mistake: it's been growing really close to the sidewalk and to other plants, while I had a big bare spot a foot away from the little guy. So... I popped it out and replanted it in the open area. Honestly, with the way it's been looking, I'm surprised that it is actually still alive. Bummer. It's encouraging, though, to see others say how much water they need (which, of course is a change for me), as I return home every day to the thing all wilted. Good to know it could still make a comeback!
Has anyone noticed how much the overall growth pattern resembles a dandelion?

I love the blossoms but don't know whats happening with this temperamental little plant. boo!

Zone 8, Tacoma, WA. Every time I plant these, they seem to wilt and rot at the base. I honestly am not sure if I am overwatering or underwatering! All the plants around them seem to do fine. They are in windowboxes. Thanks.

We purchased a Gerbera last year for our boss at work. I inherited it after it stopped blooming in the fall. Come spring I repotted it into a much larger pot taking care to keep the base of the plant above the soil. It grew leaves like crazy, but if I put it outdoors in the spring and it was too windy it would wilt badly. Thought I killed it for sure a couple of times. So as long as I kept it indoors with bright light and kept the soil moist it was happy. I thought it wasn't going to grow flowers this year (I think I was too impatient) but come late June it began to bud and I have 6 bright yellow flowers now. By the middle of June I put it outside in direct sun if it's a nice day but made sure it was sheltered from the wind. Comes indoors every night. Water it every day and it is doing great. I'm in SW Ohio. Doing great as a container plant. I'll try to post photo.

Greenhouse Perennial. Anytime of year.
I think it prefers cool air after getting estabished: 35° to 70 °.

Germ Days: 15 to 25.
Needs Light for Germination
Germ Temp: 70° to 75°.
Growing Media: Peaty. Don't forget to add a tiny pinch of lime to the soil.
Sow Depth: Just Cover the seed very lightly.
Comments: Sow sharp end down, with the fluff uptop, don't cover completely.
Spray mist to water, or water from bottom of plant; ONLY!

Don't keep wet Roots!
If you feel (or sense) that the roots are too wet, then use 1 tablespoonful of ordinary household peroxide per 8 ounces of warmed water; & pour it into the soil only! Touching the leaves with that strength will burn them.

Category: Annuals in cooler climates or put in cool greenhouse.
Tropicals/Tender Perennials in: Zones 9a: to (20° F) thru 10b: to (35° F)
Height: 6 to 12 in. thru 18 inches.
Spacing: 12 to 15 inches.

~* Robin

For two years I had trouble finding a good place for these beautiful flowers. The automatic sprinkler every other day would rot the plants at the base. Last year I put them under the eves of the house where the sprinkler doesn't reach and they did great! I watered them with the hose dripping the soil nearby. Two of four of them came back this year (in Chicago!!!) and it wasn't from the seeds as they came back in the same place next to the marker - I was amazed. We had a mild winter and the heat from the house must have kept them warm enough.

I live in Oklahoma City...in January of 2005 I started these from seed, a crop the seed company mentioned could result in 50% crop failure so they sent me two packages, 50 seeds total...50% germinated just like they said. I planted them in a south and east facing corner that gets protection from north winds and sun mid morning to noon (average about 3 hours) in poorly un-ammended red clay Okie soil mulched with fallen leaf mulch. The soil can have a tendancy to dry out at the surface. They did not bloom in 2005, they seemed a little too young. This year our temps have dropped to a low of 4 degrees (that's farenheit!) on several occasions and have been snowed/iced on (including right now). They turned a little black yet have come back with a vengence and have babies next to them as well. I know this area of my garden is a micro climate so we'll see if they get enough sun to bloom this coming spring/summer and survive any winter that might prove more harsh in the future.

I was told some years ago in a Master Gardener class that the secret to overwintering Gerberas is *perfect drainage*. Here in my area of Georgia, our winters can be quite wet - the Gerberas that have survived best for me are in a raised bed, with very little mulch around them.

They do dry quickly in hot days and need frequent watering, but high humidity is also an issue. I've had 8 gerberas and out of those 3 died from crown rot caused by too many humid nights in a row. Watering very carefully around them early in the day does the trick nicely, along with placing them in a place sheltered from foggy winds during the night. Despite these minor problems, these plants are completely worth the effort, as the flowers are truly amazing and very photogenic.

I love these plants, they don't flower as much as I'd like but when they do they're well worth it. Mine seem to appreciate afternoon shade.

I had gerber daisies as outdoor plants in Tennessee. They were part of a garden, and consistently came back every year with little maintenance. Now that I live in a colder climate (Cleveland, OH), I keep a daisy in a pot that hangs outdoors during the summer (needs water daily or it will wilt) and then I bring it indoors in front of a sunny window for winter. It begins blooming again once it is put outside the next summer. I highly recommend these cheery little plants if you can remember to water them. No need to toss them when it's cold out, as long as you water every couple of days and keep them in front of a sunny window throughout the winter.

Hello All!, First I love Gerbera Daisies, but I have to say, Gerbers can be fussy and need as much TLC as a gardenia does...so, in other words, give the plant everything it needs, and in return, you will get the graceful majestic beauty of the flower and foliage we adore.

I live in an apartment, so I have this plant in a pot. It has been sitting outside in full sun since I bought it two or three months ago. It is pink and has had two to three blooms continuously since I bought it, even though I have been neglectful and have forgotten to keep it watered on a regular basis. I quickly remember when I see the blooms and leaves beginning to droop, however!

I did not realize that it had the potential to be a perennial, but will be sure to bring it inside next winter when it begins to cool off. I also read recently in a book about plants that are good for purifying the air in houses and offices that it is a good choice for removing chemicals and toxic gases from indoor air. So, I am thinking of buying a few more for inside and seeing how well they hold up, if I can find a place to put them!

I live on the borderline of Zone 8b/9a in NE Florida. I was successful in overwintering several Gerbera Daisies this past winter by providing a covering of a few inches of hay. One of them (a pink one) is blooming already in mid-February!. I look for them on sale (cheap!) when they have been (typically) overwatered at K-Mart and other stores. I am generally able to restore them to complete health with full sun and holding off on watering for a while until they are established. Our sandy soil here may be a benefit in growing the Gerberas. Good drainage may help keep the crowns from rotting.

This is my favorite plant, but when I tried bringing them in for the winter, I became infested with fruit flies, so be careful. A soil pesticide and paper eventually took care of them. The three I have remaining are currently doing so-so, not sure if they'll make it.

I guess nobody told the gerberas in my zone 8 that they weren't suppose to be perennials. Mine have been growing (same plants) and multiplying in part-shade for the last 5 years. Have never had an pest problems with them.

Great plant, but birds have been eating the petals before it opens.

I live in zone 9. Every spring I plant 4 or 5 Gerber Daises in my flower garden. Most of them begin to wilt as soon as they are placed in the garden, then die off quickly. The few plants that do survive come back every year and do well. Any ideas why this might be happening?

No one mentioned whiteflies in relation to Gerbera: as houseplants or greenhouse plants, you're almost guaranteed to have a whitefly infestation! Keep the insect spray handy if you try to grow these inside. Other than that, these are great plants. If you want to divide them for more plants, do it in June.

I live in the lower part of zone 8 and have had great success with gerbera daisies. They get filtered sun all day until late afternoon where they get full sun. Very good performing perennial.

I have successfully grown Gerber Daisy for four years in my zone 7b garden. The plants are in the shade of an old pine tree. They are kept heavily mulched and go dormant during the summer. Leaf out and soon flower in spring and fall. For some reason the plants with yellow flowers are more hardy than the other colors.

Feed frequently and they'll reward you with those beautiful blooms! Also they can be susceptible to crown rot so make sure they are above the soil to avoid the rot....... and yes they do need water......avoid over head watering and water early in day to avoid powdery mildew.

So far I've had mine in a pot for two years running, without much care at all, and mine is not only very resistant (its main branches broke in half and I merely tied them together again) but has lots of flowers at the same time during almost the whole year. It is also self-sowing and growing constantly.

This is my first year for this plant. They do seem to need water every two or three days here in my clay soil. I am crazy about the size and color of the blooms, they really add to the landscape! I planted them in several part sun places to test their needs. I did have to dust them, with seven as something was eating the leaves. The red color is a knockout!!

I have also found that this plant needs watering at least twice a week but I love the blooms so much that I don't mind. I have it planted in partial shade in front of my hostas that are in full shade. It's made a nice transition plant. I have had several plants come back from seed this year and the colors are still bright and true.

I also noticed that the plant dries out quickly, but it sure made it through the summer just fine, even next to the driveway pavement. It seemed hearty but maxed out with 3 blooms at a time. I brought it inside for our Zone 5 winter and it looked very sad for several months. It is in a south facing window. Then it perked up at the end of March and I just had the first bloom of the season, indoors!

Gerbera daisies are not a perennial in zone 8, at least. I tried to bring them indoors last fall and they didn't make it through the winter. They do require a lot of water. Mine get half day of sun and do well when watered twice per week or so.

I have found that they need a lot of water. Will wilt EVERY day in a pot in full sun and every other day if planted in the ground. I read somewhere that it is a tender perennial; is this true?