Its a south African daisy (Gerbera)

Member Name: mumsymary

Product:	Gerbera
Date:	07/06/07 (1382 review reads)
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It’s a daisy, members of the Compositae family. The gerbera is a tender perennial. The gerbera named after a German doctor was introduced to England from South Africa in 1878 by Robert Jameson. This first flowered in Norwich, then Cambridge botanical gardens and Kew. In the last 20 years it has become a popular plant and easily available.

There are over 200 varieties of Gerberas. Gerbera flowers circular /disc shaped usually have thin petals each flower has many petals. There are single and double flowered varieties, some petals have frilly edges. The flowers come in many colours yellow, orange, reds pinks, white but no blue flowers. In some of the species there are small florets of a different colour around the centre of the flower in others the colour is the same.
There is a small mini gerbera, standard size and large flowered ones. The Gerbera usually grows 10 to 18 inches tall 26 to45 cm.

The stems are hairy and hollow no leaves grow from the stems. The leaves grow from a rosette at the base of the plant they are fairly long seated leaved.

Gerberas are good as a cut flower or to grow in a plant pot either inside or outside your house. They will thrive in a flower border too. The stems because they are hollow are a bit weak and for displays are often supported by florist wire.
You can buy gerberas at most times of the year. There are many in the garden centre at the moment. I bought a couple to put in my pot by the front door
Sutton seeds and probably other seeds merchants too sell Gerbera seeds Suttons are £2.65p for a packet at http://www.suttons.co.uk.

Ok so I have planted mine in a pot by the front door. I planted in a peat free potting soil and made sure the crown of the plant was above the soil.
This pot is in the sun most of the day Gerbera like the sun. Gerbera like a well drained soil. When I water I try not to get water on the leaves too much as it might make them rot. Gerberas often suffer from mildew a grey powdery substance can be seen on the leaves.
I water my plants then let the soil become quite dry before I water next.
To encourage flowering I shall dead head the flowers I might let the last flowers of the season develop seed heads and try to grow some from seed.

If you buy or cut your flowers for a vase indoors they should last up to 14 days.

(psst if you wish to see the gerberas I bought photos on the other side)

Summary: A brightly colourerd daisy flower