Gerbera Daisies

Care Tips:

Gerbera daisies are bright, cheerful, friendly flowers that bring a smile to your day and a warm welcome to guests. They need little more than a clean vase and fresh water to turn heads and impress guests.

Available year-round, these long lasting flowers should stay fresh for 7 to 14 days. Once home follow a few simple care tips to extend the life of your blooms:

Perfect for expressing happy sentiments, they range from soft hues to vibrant shades.
  1. Gerbera daisies often come with tubes around each stem to prevent them from bending and nets around each head to keep their petals picture perfect. Keep them on the flowers until you start arranging the stems.
  2. When you get home, stand the wrapped flowers in water and let them hydrate for 2 to 3 hours.
  3. Once their thirst is quenched, fill a vase with warm water and add a packet of flower food to extend bloom life. If you don’t have flower food, dissolve half a teaspoon of sugar, a teaspoon of lemon juice, and a few drops of bleach in 4 cups of water to create a home-made substitute.
  4. Slant cut the stems to the desired length, cutting at least 1-inch from the bottom. Be sure to keep stems under the water when cutting. Remove any leaves that will be submerged as these will rot over time.
  5. Remove the tubes and nets and arrange the stems to your liking, varying the height and position. Add other flowers to the arrangement once all the gerbera daisies are positioned.
  6. Gerbera stems have a tendency to get blocked, causing flowers to wilt. To prevent this, be sure to change the water daily. It’s a good idea to re-cut the stems under water to help the flower uptake water.
  7. Continue to remove spent leaves to keep the bouquet looking fresh longer.

About Gerbera Daisies:

Bright Gerbera daisies are a cheerful way to start any day.

Gerbera daisies have an irresistible charm. Symbolic of innocence, purity, and cheerfulness, a handful of gerbera daisies creates an instant centerpiece or bouquet!

For those of us intimidated by color theory, gerbera daisies eliminate the guesswork! Their large beautiful blooms crowd hundreds of petals onto each stem, creating a living color wheel of contrasting shades in unexpected combinations. From the classic mix of chocolate, cream and pink, to the spring freshness of grass, blush and ivory, or the dramatic impact of ebony, saffron and crimson there’s a Gerbera Daisy for everyone.

Originally from South Africa, gerbera daisies were first discovered in 1880 by a Scotsman named Robert Jameson operating a gold mine in Transvaal. Also known as African Daisies or Transvaal Daisies, these stunning flowers understandably captured the imagination of plant collectors and breeders who found ways to create the exciting colors and long sturdy cut flowers stems we know today.

Orange Gerbera daisies symbolize warmth and happiness.

With as many meanings as there are colors, gerbera daisies have become a way to express a range of emotions.

Red expresses love

Pink conveys admiration and gratitude

Bright orange represents warmth and happiness

Yellow denotes cheerfulness

White symbolizes purity and innocence

Inspiration:

Each color of the Gerbera Daisy conveys a special meaning of beauty.

A few stems of gerbera daisies in rich reds, hot pinks, vibrant oranges, or a riot of bright colors radiate positive energy. A bouquet of soft creams or blushes whispers innocence. A single bloom on a nightstand or side table defines simple pleasures.

Gerbera daisies also pair beautifully with other flowers, foliage, and branches for added texture, fragrance, and height. Let the Gerbera daisies define the color palette and add fillers and spillers in coordinating shades to complete the look. Choose any combination that appeals to your sense of style or try some of our inspired ideas:

Demure: A monochromatic bouquet of Gerbera daisies, tulips, peonies, and lilies in soft shades of pink is innocent yet alluring.

Fragrant: White Gerbera daisies, yellow tulips, fragrant blue hyacinths, and lemon leaves evoke summer days at the beach.

Light pink gerbera daisies are often given as a get well gift or act of friendship.

Classic: Gerbera daisies in eggshell and parchment, mini roses in blushing pink, stately magnolia leaves, and viburnum berries create a centerpiece with understated elegance.

Vibrant: Orange gerbera daisies, hot pink carnations, green button mums, and yellow alstroemeria set the mood for an outdoor garden party.

Dramatic: Rich orange gerbera daisies, scarlet carnations and merlot roses of varying sizes and textures makes a dramatic and energizing display.

Impressionist: An arrangement of purple iris, pink tulips, and orange Gerbera daisies is like a stroll through a French flower market from a Monet painting.

What to know
  1. When selecting gerbera daisies, look for round heads and unblemished petals. Be sure the stems are long and straight.
  2. Gerbera daisies turn their heads toward the light. Keep them away from bright light to ensure they stay straight.
  3. Gerbera daisies are thirsty flowers and do better without floral foam.
  4. They are sensitive to fluoride, so you may want to use bottled water to fill your vase.

Rules of Thumb:

  1. Use odd numbers of stems for a more interesting design.
  2. Arrange Gerbera daisies at varying heights to contrast colors and sizes.
  3. Arrange all the Gerbera daisies first then add other flowers to ensure even space.
  4. The warmer the room, the shorter the vase life. For longest life, place Gerbera daisies in a cool place, away from drafts, fresh fruit, radiators or direct sunlight.
  5. Keep fresh cut flowers away from fruits and vegetables, Ethylene gas, naturally given off by ripening fruits and veggies, is harmful to cut flowers.

Rescue Tips:

  1. If your Gerbera heads wilt prematurely, stems may be clogged, preventing the blooms from getting water. Change the water and re-cut flower. If they don’t perk up, thread wire into the head and stem to provide support.

Fun Facts:

  1. Daisies are the birth flower for April.
  2. Gerbera daisies are the 5th most popular cut flower in the world.

FURTHER READING

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