Are gerbera jamesonii perennial?

A house plant native of South Africa, gerbera jamesonii is a famous flower across the world and used as home décor. Also known as gerbera daisy, Transvaal daisy, Barberton daisy and gerber daisy, these are perennial plants. Gerbera jamesonii flowers are available in many colours like white, pink, yellow, salmon, red, lavender and orange. The plant is also available in bicolour. The floral disk of the gerbera jamesonii in the centre is usually of yellow, black or in shades of bronze.

Gerbera step by step care guide

Light

The gerbera jamesonii needs a lot of sunlight, for its flowers to bloom. It can grow easily as an outdoor plant. However, as a house plant, the situation is difficult in the absence of sunlight.

Nevertheless, intense sunlight for long is not good for gerbera jamesonii as it may burn its flowers and leaves. Place the gerbera jamesonii plant in the garden, in such a way that it gets proper sunlight. If it is a house plant, place it near the windows so that it gets plenty of sunlight. Gerbera jamesonii plant should get sunlight daily at least for a few hours.

Watering

 Water should be in perfect proportion for gerbera jamesonii plants as they love humidity. The soil for gardening should not be too dry or too wet. Gerbera jamesonii plants should have moist soil. Once you find the top layer of the soil to be dry, water it immediately. Note, in warm conditions, soil dries faster so water it regularly. In cold places, the soil takes time to dry, so watering should be done accordingly. Do not keep the plant inside houses that remain humid as it can lead to fungus growth in both, leaves and flowers.

Temperature

The temperature should be around 24 degrees in the day and around 18 degrees at night. Note that is temperature is less than 15 degrees then the flowering process for the Gerbera Jamesonii will get delayed.

Feeding

The most attractive part of gerbera jamesonii is its flowers. Until its flowers start blooming regularly, one may lose interest in growing the plant as its leaves look unattractive like weeds and do not appear to be beautiful. As mentioned above, the beauty of the gerbera jamesonii lies in its flowers. So, to have more flowers, add fertile soil, water and fertilisers rich in potassium in constant intervals. While a new plant gets its leaves very fast, the growth in old plants takes time as all the energy gets invested in bearing gerbera jamesonii flowers.

Humidity

Gerbera Jamesonii plants have no special humidity needs and can grow well in the humidity available in the room.

Propagation

Dip the cut end of gerbera cutting in water and let the roots comes. Once roots appear place it in a pot with good quality potting mix.

Repotting

Repot the Gerbera Jamesonii plant every year or once in two years – whenever you see the roots of the plant filling the pot. Repot the plant in spring to propagate growth.

Height / Spread

Gerbera Jamesonii grows around 6 to 18 inches in height.

Speed of Growth

Gerbera Jamesonii are slow growers. It takes close to 24 weeks to grow from seeds to flower.

See also: Best indoor plants for small rooms and apartments

Gerbera jamesonii placement according to Feng Shui

Gerbera jamesonii improves air quality, so it is good for your house. It produces oxygen and increases the humidity level in the surrounding. Further, it is also considered to be an auspicious plant according to Feng Shui. The colours of gerbera jamesonii flowers symbolise different aspects. For example, yellow gerbera jamesonii represents health and stability; red gerbera jamesonii means enthusiasm; purple stands for prosperity; and pink represents love.

See also: 10 beneficial Feng Shui plants for your home

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