Interesting facts about gerberas

gerberas

Gerberas are actually a type of Daisy (Asteraceae), and are one of the most popular flowers to buy due to their bright color and longevity.

Gerbera is native to tropical regions of South America, Africa and Asia.

It was named in honour of German botanist and medical doctor Traugott Gerber (1710-1743) who travelled extensively in Russia and was a friend of Carl Linnaeus.

The first scientific description of a Gerbera was made by J.D. Hooker in Curtis’s Botanical Magazine in 1889 when he described Gerbera jamesonii, a South African species also known as Transvaal daisy or Barberton daisy.

gerberas-2

Gerbera is also commonly known as the African daisy.

There are many varieties of Gerberas, and their size varies accordingly from the ‘mini’ gerbera at about 4 cm (1.6 in) across, to the larger varieties which can be up to 10 cm (4 in) across.

This modern flower in the flower industry are available in many colors, but are more popular for vivid their yellows, oranges, red and pinks ranges. They have a central circle that is either black, light green or colored, surrounded by colorful rays made up of two or more layers of thin petals.

gerberas-3

The flower head which has the appearance of a single flower, is actually composed of hundreds of individual flowers.

Gerbera is very popular and widely used as a decorative garden plant or as cut flowers.

It is the fifth most used cut flower in the world (after rose, carnation, chrysanthemum, and tulip).

A lively flower that brightens bouquets and arrangements, sometimes referred to as the smiley flower.

There is an energetic playfulness to these flowers, which is evident in all their radiant colors.

gerberas-4

The meanings of gerbera flowers stem from those attributed to the general daisy family. These meanings include innocence and purity.

The Victorian meaning of the gerbera daisy is happiness. The gerbera daisy seems to hold it’s rays open to the world radiating pure happiness.

The Egyptian meaning of gerberas is closeness to nature and devotion to the sun.

gerberas-5

The Celts believed that the gerbera would lessen the sorrows and stresses of everyday life.

Gerberas are well known for their ability to remove trichloroethylene, formaldehyde and benzene from the air.

This flowers are also excellent for helping you to sleep because they continue to release a continuous stream of fresh oxygen through the evening hours, while other flowers slow down their oxygen production, gerberas will lull you right to sleep.