# Gerbera daisy (Gerbera jamesonii)

Canonical: https://plantguide.ae/plants/gerbera · Updated: 2026-10-29
Source: Plant Guide (https://plantguide.ae/plants/gerbera)

Gerbera daisy · جربارة  
flower · exotic · family Asteraceae · grows 0.3–0.6 m tall, 0.3–0.5 m wide · moderate growth  
sun to part shade · moderate water need  
Ratings for Dubai (1–5, 5 is best): heat 2 · salt 2 · drought 2 · shade 3 · ease of care 3  
Sow or plant: Oct–Feb  
Uses: bedding, container  
Garden styles: manicured, luxury

## Also known as

- **English:** Gerbera, Barberton daisy, Transvaal daisy, Gerber daisy, Veldt daisy
- **Botanical synonyms:** *Gerbera × hybrida*
- **Arabic (العربية):** جربارة
- **Malayalam (മലയാളം):** ജെർബെറാ (Gerbera)
- **Bengali (বাংলা):** জারবেরা (Jarbera)
- **Persian (فارسی):** ژربرا (Zherbera)

Big, long-stemmed daisies from southern Africa, sold in Dubai as outdoor flowering plants: they want morning sun, afternoon shade and a drip line, not a lawn sprinkler.

## About

Meet the gerbera, the daisy that looks as if it was drawn with a ruler and then coloured in by a child. Each flower sits alone on a bare stem above a low rosette of lobed leaves, a single flat face 8 to 10 cm across in yellow, orange, red, pink, cream or white, often with a darker eye. It is the daisy of florists' buckets and nursery benches, and in a Dubai garden it brings that same shop-window clarity to a pot or a bed.

It is a plant of the southern African highlands, and it behaves like one. In the wild it grows on rocky woodland slopes, usually in partial shade or under bushes. That explains the two things a Dubai gardener needs to know: it enjoys light but not a full day of baking sun, and it hates sitting in wet ground. The crown, the point where the leaves meet the root, must stay above the soil and dry between waterings.

The mood is cheerful and slightly formal at once: a row of gerberas along a patio edge, three pots in a colour of your choice beside the door, a bright patch in the front of a shaded bed. Treat it as cool-season colour in Dubai, planted in autumn and enjoyed until the heat of May makes the flowers shrink.

Gerbera jamesonii, the Barberton daisy or Transvaal daisy, is a perennial from south-eastern Africa, native to Mpumalanga, Limpopo and Eswatini. Wikipedia gives flower stems up to 75 cm; the RHS says most plants are 30 to 60 cm tall and should be spaced about 30 cm apart. The RHS describes gerberas as tender, and a perennial in the right climate; UF/IFAS, writing for Florida, says that across much of the United States they are grown as seasonal annuals and persist as bedding perennials only in the warm south. Dubai has no frost, but its summer is the harder limit, so most gardens treat gerbera as cool-season colour.

UF/IFAS advises a spot with morning sun and afternoon shade, and sandy soil enriched with compost or peat, with good drainage as the priority because excess moisture causes root and crown disease. That fits Dubai's sandy ground if you add organic matter and keep the crown clear of mulch. The RHS adds that overwatering is the usual cause of crown and root rot, and that damp, still air invites grey mould and powdery mildew, so water at the base, early in the day, and give the plants room. UF/IFAS also notes that iron and manganese deficiency can occur and that a fertiliser with micronutrients helps, which is worth remembering in Dubai's alkaline sand.

Dubai nurseries sell gerbera as an outdoor flowering plant. Plantsworld lists it as 'Gerbera Daisy - Transvaal daisy' and Plantshop.me as 'Gerbera Daisy', which is why the page is titled that way. We found no UAE source on carrying gerbera through a Dubai summer, and mean highs of 38 °C or more from May make it unlikely outdoors. Plan to replant each autumn, and keep the pots in the best-lit shade you have if you want to try.

## Through the year

Gerbera's Dubai year is a cool-season run. Nursery plants go in from October, once the weather has broken (October's mean high is still 35.9 °C, so plant in the evening and keep them shaded for the first week). Flowers open from about November and carry on through the mild months, when highs sit between 24 and 29 °C from December to March. Damp, cool spells in December to February are the time to watch for crown rot and mildew. From April, with highs at 33.7 °C and then 38.2 °C in May, flowers get smaller and plants thin out; most gardens clear them by May and replant the following autumn.

| When | What | Note |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Oct–Feb | Plant: Cool-season planting window | Acacia Garden Center gives October to March as Dubai's main planting season; this window is our reading of that for gerbera, not a Dubai Municipality list. Plant in the evening, with the crown level with the soil. |
| Nov–Apr | Flowers: Daisies through the cool months | Remove spent flowers by snipping the whole stem at the base, as the RHS advises. |
| Dec–Mar | Feed: Feed with micronutrients | UF/IFAS flags iron and manganese deficiency; a fertiliser or foliar spray containing micronutrients helps. |
| Dec–Feb | Pest watch: Crown rot, grey mould and mildew in cool, damp weather | Water at the base in the morning and keep the crown clear of mulch. |
| May–Sep | Heat stress: Too hot for a flowering display | UF/IFAS advises afternoon shade; Dubai's mean highs are 38 to 42 °C from May to September. |

## Care in Dubai

- **Watering in summer:** Not grown as a flowering display outdoors through a Dubai summer; if you keep a pot, give it bright shade and water only when the top of the soil has dried.
- **Watering in winter:** Water once or twice a week at the base, early in the day, letting the crown dry between waterings; less after rain.
- **While establishing:** Keep evenly moist for the first two weeks, watering at the base, and shade new plants for a few days if October is still hot.
- **Soil:** Free-draining sandy soil enriched with compost, with the crown kept clear of mulch. Heavy or constantly wet ground rots the crown.
- **Feeding:** A balanced feed every 3 to 4 weeks while in flower, using one that contains iron and manganese, since both can run short in Dubai's alkaline sand.
- **Pruning:** Snip spent flowers off at the base of the stem; remove yellow or damaged leaves so air moves around the crown.
- **Planting:** Plant nursery pots from October to February, 30 cm apart, with the crown level with or slightly above the soil, in morning sun and afternoon shade.
- **Pests and problems:** Crown and root rot from overwatering; Whitefly; Red spider mites; Aphids; Grey mould and powdery mildew in damp, still air
- **Toxicity:** The ASPCA lists the Gerber daisy (Gerbera jamesonii) as non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses. Eating any plant can still cause mild stomach upset, so keep pets from chewing it.

## Good and bad

**Pros**
- Large, long-lasting flowers in almost every warm colour
- Sold as ready-flowering outdoor plants by Dubai nurseries
- Copes with part shade, unlike most bedding flowers
- Good in pots, edging and cutting rows
- Listed by the ASPCA as non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses

**Cons**
- Crown and root rot if the soil stays wet or the crown is buried
- Flowers shrink and plants decline once summer heat arrives
- Wants morning sun with afternoon shade, so it suits few exposed beds
- Can show iron or manganese yellowing in Dubai's alkaline sand

## Common mistakes

- Burying the crown. Planting too deep or mulching over it keeps the base wet and is a common route to crown rot, so keep it level with or just above the soil.
- Putting gerbera in an all-day sun bed. UF/IFAS advises morning sun and afternoon shade, and Dubai's afternoon sun is stronger than the conditions that advice was written for.
- Watering from above in the evening. Wet foliage and crowns in cool, damp weather bring on grey mould and mildew; water the soil, in the morning.
- Leaving spent stems to rot. Snipping each faded flower off at the base keeps the plant tidy and flowering.
- Trying to carry a bed through summer. Plan on replanting each autumn instead.

## Good to know

- Gerbera jamesonii is native to south-eastern Africa and is also sold as the Barberton daisy or Transvaal daisy; the ASPCA lists it as Gerber daisy.
- Garden gerberas are mostly hybrids, which Wikipedia notes are now placed under the name Gerbera × hybrida.
- The RHS describes gerberas as tender and says the hardy 'Everlast' and 'Garvinea' types suit mild, sheltered, well-drained sites; Dubai's issue is heat, not frost.
- The ASPCA's pet-safe bouquet list for Mother's Day also names gerbera daisies, but it still warns that eating any plant may cause mild stomach upset.

## Using it in a garden

Roles: Pots by an entrance, Front of a shaded bed, Cutting row, Patio edging

Give gerbera the spot that gets sun until late morning and shade after midday: the east side of a villa wall, a bed shaded by a tall shrub or a pot you can move. Plant it slightly raised, with the crown above the soil and a gap of about 30 cm between plants, on a drip line rather than the lawn's sprinkler zone. Use it in single colours or two-colour blocks, which read more clearly than a mixed patch, and keep it where you can reach it to snip spent stems.

- [Petunia](https://plantguide.ae/plants/petunia.md): Petunia fills the ground in front with trailing colour, and shares the same October planting window.
- [Snapdragon](https://plantguide.ae/plants/snapdragon.md): Snapdragon spikes give height behind gerbera's flat faces, and both are cool-season plants in Dubai.
- [Dianthus](https://plantguide.ae/plants/dianthus.md): Dianthus is a compact cool-season edging flower that keeps the front of the bed neat around the gerbera rosettes.
- [Gazania](https://plantguide.ae/plants/gazania.md): Gazania is another sun-opening daisy, in warm oranges and golds, for the sunnier half of the same border.

## FAQ

**When should I plant gerbera in Dubai?**  
From October to February, once the weather has broken. Acacia Garden Center gives October to March as Dubai's main planting season, and October and November give the longest display. Plant in the evening and shade new plants for the first week.

**Does gerbera grow in full sun in Dubai?**  
It does better with morning sun and afternoon shade, which is what UF/IFAS advises. In Dubai's stronger light, an east-facing or lightly shaded spot is safer than an all-day sun bed.

**Why is my gerbera wilting and the base turning black?**  
Most likely crown or root rot from wet soil or a buried crown. The RHS names overwatering as the main cause. Lift the plant so the crown sits just above the soil, water less and at the base, and improve drainage.

**Will gerbera survive a Dubai summer?**  
We found no UAE source saying it does, and mean highs of 38 to 42 °C from May to September are well above what the plant is grown in. Treat it as cool-season colour and replant each autumn.

**Is gerbera safe for pets?**  
The ASPCA lists the Gerber daisy as non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses. Eating any plant can still cause mild stomach upset.

**What else is it called in Dubai shops?**  
Plantsworld lists it as Gerbera Daisy - Transvaal daisy and Plantshop.me as Gerbera Daisy. You will also see Barberton daisy, and Gerbera jamesonii on the label.

## Related plants

[Gazania](https://plantguide.ae/plants/gazania.md) · [Marigold](https://plantguide.ae/plants/marigold.md) · [Snapdragon](https://plantguide.ae/plants/snapdragon.md) · [Petunia](https://plantguide.ae/plants/petunia.md) · [Dianthus](https://plantguide.ae/plants/dianthus.md)

## Photos

![Orange gerbera daisy in bloom among green leaves in a garden](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/90/Gerbera_jamesonii.jpg)  
Photo: Adeep309 / CC BY 4.0 / Wikimedia Commons ([source](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gerbera_jamesonii.jpg))

![Cluster of yellow gerbera daisies with dark centres above green leaves](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/86/Gerbera_Jamesonii_in_Yellow.jpg)  
Photo: Skyfish42 / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Wikimedia Commons ([source](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gerbera_Jamesonii_in_Yellow.jpg))

![Two red-orange spider-type gerbera flowers among leaves at Kew Gardens](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8d/Gerbera_jamesonii_-_Kew_Gardens%2C_London_-_DSC03131.jpg)  
Photo: Daderot / CC0 / Wikimedia Commons ([source](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gerbera_jamesonii_-_Kew_Gardens,_London_-_DSC03131.jpg))

![Red gerbera daisies growing in a nursery greenhouse at Cameron Lavender Garden](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/49/Barberton_Daisies_at_Cameron_Lavender_Garden.jpg)  
Photo: Pro QueeNia / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Wikimedia Commons ([source](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Barberton_Daisies_at_Cameron_Lavender_Garden.jpg))

## Sources

- [RHS: How to grow gerberas](https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/gerbera/growing-guide)
- [UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions: Gerbera daisy](https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/ornamentals/gerbera-daisy/)
- [ASPCA: Gerber Daisy](https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/aspca-poison-control/toxic-and-non-toxic-plants/gerber-daisy)
- [ASPCA: Your guide to a pet-safe Mother's Day bouquet (names gerbera daisies)](https://www.aspca.org/news/your-guide-pet-safe-mothers-day-bouquet)
- [Wikipedia: Gerbera jamesonii](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerbera_jamesonii)
- [Kew WCVP, the checklist behind POWO (read via GBIF): Gerbera jamesonii](https://www.gbif.org/species/206710462)
- [Arabic Wikipedia: جربارة](https://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%AC%D8%B1%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%A9)
- [Persian Wikipedia: ژربرا جامزونی](https://fa.wikipedia.org/wiki/%DA%98%D8%B1%D8%A8%D8%B1%D8%A7_%D8%AC%D8%A7%D9%85%D8%B2%D9%88%D9%86%DB%8C)
- [Malayalam Wikipedia: ജെർബെറാ](https://ml.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%B4%9C%E0%B5%86%E0%B5%BC%E0%B4%AC%E0%B5%86%E0%B4%B1%E0%B4%BE)
- [Bengali Wikipedia: জারবেরা](https://bn.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%A6%9C%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%AC%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%BE)
- [Acacia Garden Center: Dubai Garden Calendar](https://acaciagardencenter.com/blogs/blog/dubai-planting-calendar)
- [Wikipedia: Climate of Dubai (WMO 1991-2020 normals)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_of_Dubai)
- [Plantsworld: Gerbera Daisy - Transvaal daisy (Dubai shop listing, checked 2026-10-29)](https://plantsworld.ae/products/gerbera-jamesonii-gerbera-daisy-outdoor-anual-flowering-plant)
- [Plantshop.me: Gerbera Daisy - Flowering - Outdoor Plants (UAE shop listing, checked 2026-10-29)](https://www.plantshop.me/ae-en/product/gerbera-daisy)