Gerbera daisy history
Gerbera daisies usually range from 7 to 12cm in diameter which makes it a fantastic size suitable for just about any type of flower arrangement. They are available in a wide variety of colours and this is yet another reason for its popularity over the years. If you browse through flowers online advertised by various online florists, you will notice how often this flower makes an appearance in different bouquets for all sorts of occasions. This flower is rather “young” in comparison to some other top blooms but this has in no way affected its popularity.
A Scotsman named Robert Jameson was responsible for discovering this flower somewhere near Barberton in South Africa. Although the flower was initially discovered in 1884, it was not until about 40 years later that the bloom was first cultivated. Gerbera daisies are named after a German botanist, Traugott Gerber.
Other names associated with this flower include the Barberton daisy, the Transvaal daisy and the African daisy. The name African daisy is easy to understand as well as the name Barberton daisy. The name Transvaal daisy also refers to the location of its discovery. Transvaal means across the Vaal (a river in South Africa). This river runs across the country and, to the north you will find the country’s capital, Pretoria. The area to the north of the river was given the name Transvaal and, since Barberton is located in this area, it led to the name Transvaal daisy.
The first person to identify the flower on a scientific level was J.D. Hooker back in 1889. He referred to the flower as Gerbera Jamesonii. Other species of this flower have been found in tropical Asia and South America which clearly indicates the plant’s love for warm weather! Cultivation of this flower in England began in the 1890s. The trend followed in North America a whole 30 years later.
In the United States, Florida and California are responsible for producing the most of these flowers in comparison to the rest of the states. In other parts of the world, Columbia and the Netherlands have really flooded the market with their high quality gerbera daisy flower production. Not only are gerberas popular as cut flowers but there are also garden varieties that are gaining popularity. There’s no denying the visual appeal of the amazing colours that they bring to your garden and they are able to tolerate some really hot weather provided they are watered sufficiently.
The next time you decide to visit your online florist or local flower shop, be sure to take a look around for flowers that include or are made up solely of gerbera daisies. They are beautiful when accompanied by freesia, roses or even all on their own in a vase. You can order a bouquet of them in a single colour or you can mix up the colours and brighten up your home with a variety of bright beauty.