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January Plant of the Month

African daisy

 

Gerberas

Botanical name: Gerbera jamesonii

Gerbera daisies are native to Africa, Madagascar, tropical Asia and South America. The genus Gerbera was named after a German naturalist, Traugott Gerber in the year 1743 while the species G. jamesonii was named after Robert Jameson who collected the species in the Barbeton-Transvaal area in South Africa where he was running a gold mine in 1884. This is why Gerberas are also known as Barbeton or Transvaal daisies.

 
The Gerberas available today are a cross between G. jamesonii and G. viridifolia and were first bred at the end of the 19th century in England by Richard Lynch. These cheerful flowers come in a wide range of colours and an assortment of petal shapes such as frilly, wide petalled and double petalled. Breeders have also come up with miniature versions of Gerberas.

Care
 
Gerberas are happy little plants, which grow best in well-drained soil with a good amount of sunshine. They are perfect for borders, planter boxes and container gardens and their blooms are perfect as cut flowers. Always ensure that the crown of the plant is slightly above the soil levelor the plant will die from crown rot. Be quick to remove any wilting leaves and flowers. Allow the soil to dry slightly in between watering. Slow release fertilizers for flowering plants, rose fertilizers and fertilizers specially formulated for flowering plants should be applied to encourage constant blooms. Watch out for pest attacks, which are common on this plant. Do not over water and remove the lower leaves, which are close to the soil. Easily propagated by division and seeds.

 
 
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