Playful, cheerful colours and shapes, available all year round and unscented: the gerbera matches every personality. The flower’s symbolism is also linked to cheerfulness. For example, the Celts believed that a gerbera would diminish the burden of daily life. The flower also symbolises the joy of children, making it a perfect gift.
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Origin
Some history. Gerberas originate from southern Africa, Asia, South America and Tasmania. The flower is a member of the plant genus Asteraceae, and there are some thirty species in the wild. The German doctor Traugot Gerber, who went on expeditions to find various types of medicinal herbs and plants, spotted the flower. He then christened the flower ‘gerbera’, after his own surname.
Range
At first glance the gerbera may seem to be a simple flower, but appearances can be deceptive. Take another look. The outermost ribbon-shaped flowers determine the shape of the whole flower, and the gerbera’s heart also consists of small flowers. It really is a wonder of Nature. There are now more than 600 varieties - too many to simply be divided by colour or into large-flowered and small-flowered varieties. Hence there are small gerberas which are sold as ‘nano’ varieties and double-flowered, very pointy and bicoloured varieties and varieties with twisted petals. Or think of new cultivars like Fireworx Firefly, Pastini Cesena and Power Ball.
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