The gerbera flower – which is undoubtedly a favorite amongst florists and gardeners alike – belongs to a small genus in the asteraceae family, and is native to South Africa – though it can also be seen growing wild throughout South America and Asia. This flower is best known for its large, brightly colored head which bears hundreds of tiny individual blooms. Gerberas are generally broken down into four individual categories: the full crested double, the crested double, the double and the single gerbera flower. These categories illustrate the vast variety of this particular bloom – one type having a double row of petals, while another might only have one; one may have a black or green disk center, while the other type might have a disk that is totally obscured by petals. Their flamboyant shades are what make these plants so special. Their colors can range from shocking yellows, pinks, reds and oranges, to more muted pastel hues.
The gerbera flower is best known for its uses in wedding ceremonies. This is due not only to their colorful appearance and joyful symbolism, but because they are considered one of the longer lasting plants – staying fresh and beautiful for at least a week. Because of their generally hardy exterior, many brides prefer to create their own handmade bouquets and decorations out of gerberas. But gerbera flowers are not simply a ceremonial plant – they have also become very important in floral trade and science. In 1991, the gerbera flower was ranked number five in sales at Dutch flower auctions – only falling below roses, chrysanthemums, tulips and carnations. In science, this plant has become a vital part of the study of flower formation. This flower’s clan, asteraceae, is thought to be one of the largest known floral families, and because of this they are very hard to pinpoint. Since there is such an extensive amount of diversity, the gerbera has been selected, and it is now being studied to help identify this family’s morphological development.
The gerbera flower has a large amount of variety when it comes to symbolism – not only does the flower itself carry a meaning, but its many colors tell their own stories. For instance, a red gerbera means unconscious or passionate love, while yellow expresses the desire to impress the recipient; white means innocence and honesty, and orange tells the recipient that they bring sunlight into the giver’s life. In general, though, these blossoms are given as gifts to represent beauty and innocent affection.