African Daisy-Gerbera

 

 Not one more suicide
 has touched all of us.  These are just 12 of the 35 people who are participating in my challenge fundraiser. We are holding pink gerberas to honour the beauty of life and the life that was Deborah. So amazing.

 Karen Sydenham
604-612-7538
www.just4youwellness.com


Gerbera (/ˈdʒɜrbərə/ or /ˈɡɜrbərə/) L. is a genus of plants in the (daisy family). It was named in honour of German botanist and medical doctor Traugott Gerber^[3] | (1710-1743) who travelled extensively in Russia and was a friend of Carolus Linnaeus.^[4]
Gerbera is native to tropical regions of South America, Africa and Asia. The first scientific description of a Gerbera was made by J.D. Hooker in Curtis's Botanical Magazine in 1889 when he described Gerbera jamesonii, a South African species also known as Transvaal daisy or Barberton Daisy. Gerbera is also commonly known as the African Daisy.
Gerbera species bear a large capitulum with striking, two-lipped ray florets in yellow, orange, white, pink or red colours. The capitulum, which has the appearance of a single flower, is actually composed of hundreds of individual flowers. The morphology of the flowers varies depending on their position in the capitulum. The flower heads can be as small as 7 cm (Gerbera mini 'Harley') in diameter or up to 12 cm (Gerbera ‘Golden Serena’).
Gerbera is very popular and widely used as a decorative garden plant or as cut flowers. The domesticated cultivars are mostly a result of a cross between Gerbera jamesonii and another South African species Gerbera viridifolia.^[5] The cross is known as Gerbera hybrida. Thousands of cultivars exist. They vary greatly in shape and size. Colours include white, yellow, orange, red, and pink. The centre of the flower is sometimes black. Often the same flower can have petals of several different colours.
Gerbera is also important commercially. It is the fifth most used cut flower in the world (after rose, carnation, chrysanthemum, and tulip). It is also used as a model organism in studying flower formation.
Gerbera contains naturally occurring coumarin derivatives. Gerbera is a tender perennial plant. It is attractive to bees, butterflies and/or birds, but resistant to deer.^[6] Their soil should be kept moist but not soaked.

I never knew the name of this flower, despite admiring it's incredible beauty at the florist shop, many times in my life. Now, I know. The ladies at the fitness centre each held a pink Gerbera  in honor of Deborah. Thank you Karen S. for doing such an amazing job at www.just4youwellness.com