Gerbera daisies · fresh-cut care
Gerberas are pure color: big, flat, bright daisies in pink, orange, red, yellow and white. They are cheerful and long-lasting, as long as you know their one quirk.
A gerbera stem is soft and fuzzy, and it is very sensitive to bacteria. Dirty water or water that is too deep makes the stems go soft and bend right under the flower. Keep the water shallow and clean and they stand tall for a week or more.
Shallow, clean water
Gerberas only need a few inches of water. Deep water softens their fuzzy stems. Two to three inches in the bottom of the vase is plenty.
Change it every day or two and wash the vase. Gerberas are the first flower to suffer from bacteria in the water.
When your flowers arrive
- Use a very clean vase with two to three inches of cool water, plus flower food if a packet came with them.
- Trim half an inch off each stem at an angle with a sharp blade.
- Some gerberas come with small plastic straws or wires on the stems for support. Leave them on.
- If they came arranged, just keep the water fresh and check it daily.
Where to put them
A bright, cool spot keeps the color bright and the stems firm.
- A bright room out of direct sun is ideal.
- Keep them away from heat vents and fruit.
- Gerberas turn toward light, so turn the vase every day or two if they start to lean.
Everyday care
Gerbera Daisies
Gerbera jamesonii
- Vase life
- Usually seven to ten days.
- Water
- Only two to three inches, kept very clean and changed every day or two.
- Stems
- Trim half an inch at an angle each time you change the water.
- Flower food
- Strongly recommended. It keeps bacteria down, which gerberas need more than most.
- Temperature
- Cool rooms, away from heat.
- Watch for
- A stem bending or going soft just under the head.
Gerbera daisies are generally considered non-toxic to cats and dogs, but chewing on them or drinking the vase water with flower food can upset a stomach. Keep them out of reach. If any part is eaten, call your veterinarian.
Straightening a bent gerbera
A gerbera that bends at the neck has usually stopped drinking. You can often bring it back.
- Re-cut the stem under water.
- Wrap the stem and the head snugly in a cone of newspaper or paper towel to hold it straight.
- Stand it in a few inches of fresh water for a couple of hours, then unwrap it.
- If the stem has gone soft and dark, it won’t recover. Snip it off just below the head and float the bloom in a bowl.
Quick fixes
Stem bending under the head
Bacteria or deep water. Re-cut, use fresh shallow water and wrap the stem straight for a few hours.
Stem going soft and brown at the bottom
Bacteria. Cut well above the soft part, wash the vase and use fresh water.
Flowers leaning one way
They are reaching for light. Turn the vase every day or two.
Petals curling
A warm room or the flower is aging. Move it somewhere cooler.
Cloudy water
Change it right away and wash the vase.
A flower has finished early
Float the head in a shallow bowl of water. It still looks lovely for days.
Common questions
Why do my gerbera daisies droop?
Usually bacteria in the water or water that is too deep. Use two to three inches of clean water and change it often.
How much water do gerberas need in a vase?
Only two to three inches.
How long do gerbera daisies last?
About a week to ten days with clean water.
What are the straws on gerbera stems?
Supports that growers and florists add to keep the stems straight. Leave them on.
More flower care guides
Vase Arrangements
Fresh flowers in water
Fresh water every other day, a fresh cut on the stems, and a cool spot out of the sun.
Read the guide →Sunflowers
Helianthus annuus
Big, thirsty flowers. Keep the vase full and the water clean.
Read the guide →Mums & Daisies
Chrysanthemum and daisy-type flowers
Tough, cheerful and long-lasting. Strip the leaves, keep the water clean.
Read the guide →About pets and plants: The pet notes in this guide are general plant knowledge from our florists, not veterinary or medical advice. If a pet chews or swallows any part of a plant, contact a licensed veterinarian right away, or call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435. If a person swallows any part of a plant, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222.
“So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.”1 Corinthians 3:7
Questions about your plant?
Call or text us. We are always glad to help, whether you bought it from us or not.
Call or text (984) 250-7771 Clayton Florist · 11440 Clayton Blvd, Clayton, NC 27520claytonncflorist.com