Ultimate Guide to Gerbera Daisies (Meaning & Symbolism)

Gerbera daisies are a hugely popular gifting flower, readily available year-round from numerous flower delivery services.  Known for their alluring and colorful daisy-like flowers, gerbera daisies have long been a favorite of many flower enthusiasts around the globe not just for their visual appeal but also for their long vase life and fragrance. What makes these cheerful flowers even more special is their suitability for an array of occasions – Birthdays, Thank-Yous, Celebrations, and much more. Here we’ll take you through everything you need to know about Gerbera Daisies Meaning, Symbolism, History, Origins, Colors, and How to Care for Gerbera Daisies at home.

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History and Origins of Gerbera Daisies

Gerberas or gerbera daisies are perennial flowering plants native to South Africa, now found in North America, South America, and Asia. Other common names of these plants include Transvaal daisy, Barberton daisy, and African daisy. 

These plants are classified under the botanical family Asteraceae – the same family in which sunflowers, asters, and daisies belong. The name gerbera refers to the entire Gerbera genus. It was named after renowned German botanist Traugott Gerber by Jan Frederik Gronovius. Gronovius is a Dutch botanist who discovered the flower in South Africa in 1737. To this day, it was unclear why he named the flower after Gerber. 

One of the earliest and most common gerbera species is Gerbera jamesonii. This gerbera variety was discovered in 1889 in Transvaal, South Africa, by Scotsman Robert Jameson. 

Dubbed the fifth most popular flower worldwide, gerbera has a prominent flower head called a disk that is comparable to sunflowers. These disks are surrounded by satin-like petals or rays which come in lively and charming colors, such as pink, white, yellow, orange, and red. Although there are miniature varieties, most gerbera daisy flowers are large and grow up to 8 inches in diameter. 

While gerberas originally came from South Africa, these crowd-favorite ornamentals are now ubiquitous across the globe. They are often grown in home gardens and used as cut flowers for gerbera flower arrangements or bouquets. They are easy to grow in most planting conditions, but they do not thrive well in areas with extremely low temperatures, or where heavy rainfall is frequent. 

Most gerbera flowers bloom in spring and summer though gerbera daisy flower delivery is typically available year-round from a range of floral design studios souring from specialist growers.

Cultural Significance of Gerberas

Gerberas hold different connotations depending on the color of their blooms. But this florist-favorite cut flower further plays a vital role in different cultures in different parts of the world. 

• In Egypt, gerberas are a devotion to the sun. As for the Celts, gerbera daisies are believed to help reduce stress and sorrow. 
• Gerbera jamesonii is the national flower of Eritrea, a country in East Africa. 
• Gerbera is the official April birth month flower. 
• Daisies are also one of the most popular floral symbols in modern tattoo designs representing a range of symbolism associated with the chosen color, design, and placement on the body.

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Types of Gerbera Daises

Gerbera daisies can be classified depending on the forms of the flower. Mainly, there are four distinct types: single gerberas, double gerberas, crested double gerberas, and full crested double gerberas. 

Single Gerberas 

Single gerberas are perhaps the most common type of gerbera flower. They flaunt a simple façade with green central disk florets that are surrounded by a row of non-overlapping ray florets. 

Double Gerberas

Double gerberas, which are also called duplex gerbera daisies, have two rows of overlapping small and large ray florets or petals. The central disk florets usually come in green, black, or dark red. 

The ‘Terracotta’ variety is one famous example of double-type gerbera daisy flowers. It has double yellow petals with a hint of peach surrounding its dark red eye. 

Crested Double Gerberas

This type of gerbera flower falls under the double category. It flaunts a double row of overlapping petals, but with an extra inner row or two of smaller petals that can either be of a similar or different color as the outer petals. The central disk typically comes in green, red, or black. 

One example of a crested double gerbera daisy is the ‘Winter Queen’ variety. It has white petals with a black central disk or eye. 

Full Crested Double Gerberas

Full crested double gerbera daisy flowers display two rows of outer petals and two rows of inner petals. The first row of inner petals comprises smaller ray florets that surround and often cover the disk at the center. Because of this, the disk, which can either be red, green, or black, is either hidden or partially hidden.

The ‘Giant Spinner’ is one of the many fascinating full crested double gerbera flowers. 

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Your Guide to Picking the Perfect Gerbera Daisy

With countless colors and forms of gerbera daisy flowers available, picking the perfect bloom could really be a daunting task. Gifting flowers like gerberas is indeed a thoughtful and sweet gesture.

But it isn’t just as easy as that. There are some things that one must keep in mind. The occasion, the relationship of the giver to the receiver, or the symbols and meanings behind these beautiful blooms are just a few things that should be considered. 

Gerbera Daisies Meaning & Flower Symbolism

Because of the popularity of this beautiful flower, there are different gerbera daisy meanings. Generally, as with the other ornamentals in the daisy family, gerberas are believed to symbolize beauty, innocence, and purity. 

Gerbera daisies are further associated with cheerfulness primarily because of the myriad of colors it offers. Nevertheless, different gerbera flower colors hold different meanings and symbolism.

Pink Gerbera Daisy Flower Meaning

Pink flowers, in general, symbolize grace, admiration, and sympathy – and the same goes for pink daisies. In particular, light pink gerberas signify respect, admiration, and compassion. Darker hues of pink gerberas, on the other hand, are often a symbol of gratitude. 

Because of these meanings, a bouquet of pink gerbera daisy flowers is an ideal gift to send a “Get Well Soon“ message. These lovely blooms are also your best bet when you want to express thanks after a nice date with a special someone. They are also the flowers you turn to when you want to express admiration, or love in a more playful or flirty way. 

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Red Gerbera Daisy Meaning

Perhaps there is no other flower color that expresses romance and passion better than red flowers. An example of which is a red gerbera daisy flower – a known symbol of romantic love and passion, and a perfect romantic gift to express such feelings to your other half. 

You don’t have to wait for Valentine’s Day or any other special occasion to give a red gerbera daisy flower arrangement to your loved one. Convey romance and love with stunning red gerbera flowers any day, any time. 

Red gerbera flowers are also an ideal birthday gifting flower. Often, these beautiful, deep red or vivid red gerberas are given by a husband to his wife on her special day. 

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White Gerbera Daisy Flower Meaning

White gerbera daisy flowers represent purity and innocence like most white flower meanings. Because of their irresistible charm that exudes elegance, these gerberas are often used at weddings and baptismal occasions. They are also used as a gifting flower for newlyweds and are the official 5th Wedding Anniversary Flowers. 

Also, white gerberas make a great gift to let someone know that you find him or her loyal, thoughtful, and pure of love. Since white gerberas are also a symbol of a child’s innocence and pure love, they fit the ideal gifting flower from loving parents to their children. 

White gerberas are an ideal flower to wish someone good health. A single long stem white gerbera or a bouquet of all-white gerberas is suitable as a get well soon gifting flower.  

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Orange Gerbera Daisy Flower Meaning

Orange gerberas represent happiness, joy, friendship, and warmth, which make these alluring blooms the perfect gifting flower for your friends and colleagues. Send a bouquet of orange gerbera daisies to make someone’s day brighter or as a pick-me-upper. 

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Yellow Gerbera Daisy Flower Meaning

One of the many colors of gerberas is yellow. Like orange gerbera flowers, sunny yellow-colored ones symbolize friendship and happiness. 

Are you thinking about letting a friend know that you value your friendship? Then this bright color is one way to do that. Further, a bunch of yellow gerberas is a sure way to turn a gloomy day around. You can also send them to someone recovering from an illness to cheer them up. 

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Purple Gerbera Daisy Flower Meaning:

Purple gerbera flowers exude elegance and royalty. They signify pride, grace, fascination, and charm. For some, purple or lavender gerberas also represent romance like pink and red ones. 

A bouquet of purple gerbera daisies is a unique gifting choice for that special someone, whether for a birthday or anniversary – or just because! These blooms are also an excellent token of appreciation for someone you look up to. 

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Mixed-colored Gerbera Daisy Flower Meaning:

Although different gerbera colors convey varying meanings, a combination of two or more of these colors generally symbolizes cheerfulness and happiness. Whether for birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, engagements, or job promotions, a beautiful bunch of gerbera daisy blooms is always a sure win. 

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Gifting Gerbera Daisies:

For the best local florists curating beautiful gerbera daisy flower arrangements, see our local guides to flower delivery in Los Angeles, Chicago, and NYC and the best nationwide flower delivery services.

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Tips to Consider When Buying Gerbera Daisies

Tons of gerbera daisy delivery services are out there, and if you are personally getting one of these stunners, it’s best to keep these tips in mind.  

• Examine the conditions of its stems and flowers. Look for round heads and flawless petals as these indicate a healthy plant.
• Choose ones with long and straight stems, which indicates that the flower would last longer. 
• The leaves should be deep green in color and healthy-looking. 
• Look out for signs of damage from pests and diseases. 

What other flowers go well with gerberas? 

For years, gerbera daisies have been considered one of the top five most popular cut flowers in the market alongside roses, chrysanthemums, tulips, and carnations. They are a florist favorite in floral arrangements and bouquets. But what flowers complement these cheerful daisy-like blooms? 

Gerberas look fantastic when combined with a flowering plant from the Lily family, the snake’s head fritillary, otherwise known as Fritillaria meleagris. Other popular combination flowers with gerberas are the chrysanthemums or mums and the Japanese quince. 

Since gerbera daisies are known for their large and vibrant flower heads, smaller flowers are an excellent complement when crafting arrangements. Also, filler plants, greenery, and foliage can be added to further accentuate large gerbera daisies. 

For wedding bouquets, roses are a very popular stem to complement the color and structure of the gerbera daisy. Other excellent flowers that go well with gerbera daisies include tulips, carnations, hydrangeas, calla lilies, and pansies. 

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Gerbera Daisy Care Tips

Distinguished for their long vase life that lasts up to 14 days, gerbera flowers have long been a favorite cut flower of many. Whether for home décor, as a gift, or for floral arrangements as they instantly add colors to any area. To maximize the beauty of these fascinating and stunning blooms, it’s best to know the proper gerbera daisy care. Here are some useful tips. 

• Thoroughly clean the vase or container prior to placing your gerberas in it. The water level should be shallow enough to cover a few inches of the stems since too much water can induce rot.  
• Place the gerbera flower away from heat.  
• Re-cut the stems at a 45-degree angle with a clean knife under warm water to promote water uptake. 
• Be sure to change the water every two to three days to avoid bacteria build-up and premature wilting. 
• Adding flower food will keep the flowers fresher for longer.
• Gerberas are fluoride-sensitive. It’s best to use filtered water to avoid exposure to fluorinated water. 
• Do not place the gerbera flower near ripening fruits and vegetables since these emit ethylene.  

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Petal Republic’s flower and plant guides:

Looking for a particular stem or in need of some inspiration on the best blooms for a certain occasion? Check out Petal Republic’s expert buying guides to Roses, Ranunculus, Lilies, Irises, Tulips, Orchids, Carnations, Gerbera Daisies, Gladiolus, and Peonies.  

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