Gerbera Daisy Care

Botanical Name: Gerbera jamesonii

Gerbera daisy care is so easy, it's no wonder these eye-catching flowers have become must-have house plants. You'll find lots of colorful gerbera daisy plants popping up in florist's shops in spring and summer.

  

Big, velvety gerbera flowers are showy and long-lasting.

They are held on thick, leafless stems above large, deeply veined leaves. The leaves are about 6 in (15 cm) long and are soft and furry on the undersides.

Gerbera daisy colors range from soft pink, white and pale yellow to bright shades of pink, orange, purple and red.

Newer hybrids are compact and produce up to 6 blooms at a time.

Let the sun shine in. Put your gerbera daisy plant on a bright windowsill, where it will get some direct sunlight. Growing gerbera daisies on your patio is another option, as long as the temperature doesn't rise above 75°F/24°C.

Drench and dry. Water thoroughly. With gerbera daisy care should be taken not to allow any dry pockets around the roots, which can cause the plant to wilt. Water until you see water coming out the drainage hole and discard any water left in the saucer. Don't water again until the top 1 inch (2.5 cm) of soil is dry.

Give gerbera plant some air. Allowing good air circulation around the plant will help to prevent leaf spot. This fungus will show up on the leaves as brown spots surrounded by light-colored borders. Isolate the plant and cut off any affected leaves. Treat with a fungicide made for leaf spot, if necessary.

Gerbera Daisy Care Tips

Origin: South Africa

Height: Up to 2 ft (60 cm). Dwarf varieties are 6-12 in (15-30) tall.

Light: Bright light to full sun

Water: Water thoroughly, then allow top 1 inch (2.5 cm) to dry out between waterings.

Humidity: Average room humidity

Temperature: Cool to average 55-75°F/13-24°C

Soil: Peat moss-based potting mix

Fertilizer: Feed every 2 weeks while in bloom with a balanced liquid fertilizer diluted by half.

Propagation: Division or seeds