What is a Gerbera Daisy?
A Gerbera daisy is a flowering plant in the sunflower family, Asteraceae. The Gerbera daisy is a popular choice of ornamental flower because of its vibrant colors and long blooming period in temperate weather. Gerbera daisies are also well suited to use as cut flowers, since they can last for up to two weeks if they are well tended and have plenty of water. Many garden supply stores sell Gerbera daisy plants in the spring, as well as seeds. Alternate names for the Gerbera daisy include Transvaal and Barberton daisies, after the regions in Africa where the Gerbera daisy was first discovered by Europeans in the 1880s. The plants were named for Traugott Gerber, a friend of Linnaeus. The reason for the honor is somewhat unclear, as little is known about Gerber. The flowers quickly skyrocketed to popularity, since they grow well both indoors and out, and they make excellent cut flowers. To prolong the life of cut Gerberas even longer, change the water every three to four days and snip the b
