How to Care for Gerbera Daisies

Gerberas are the big, cheerful daisies with a perfect round face and a long, soft stem. With good care they last about 5 to 10 days in a vase. The one thing that matters most is clean water, and not much of it: gerberas are shallow-water flowers, and dirty water is what makes their heads droop.

When your gerberas arrive

Our gerberas come in hand-tied bouquets, wrapped and ready for your own vase or the vase you chose with your order. Here is what to do in the first half hour.

1. Pick a vase that is truly clean. Wash it with hot, soapy water and rinse it well, even if it looks clean already. Gerberas are more sensitive to a dirty vase than most flowers.
2. Fill it with just a few inches of cool water (about half a liter, or two cups, for a bouquet) and stir in the flower food packet we include. For a mixed bouquet, add a little more water for the roses and other stems, but keep it on the shallow side.
3. Unwrap the bouquet over a sink. Leave the tie on if you want the shape to hold; cut it if you prefer to rearrange.
4. Trim about an inch off each stem with a sharp knife or clean scissors, at a slight angle.
5. Pull off any leaves that would sit below the water line, then set the bouquet straight into the vase.
6. If a stem has a thin plastic sleeve or a fine wire running up to the head, leave it in place. Florists use these to help hold up the heavy flower.

If a design ever reaches you in green floral foam, keep the foam soaked: top it up daily and don't pull the stems out.

Everyday care

• Check the water level every day and top it up with a little fresh water. Shallow vases run low fast.
• Change the water completely every 1 to 2 days, or as soon as it looks cloudy. Rinse the vase each time.
• Give each stem a fresh inch-or-less trim when you change the water.
• Keep the vase in a cool spot, away from radiators, steam heat, sunny south windows and air-conditioning vents that blow straight on the flowers.
• Remove any wilted flower or soft leaf right away so it doesn't foul the water for the rest.

Our guide on how to make cut flowers last covers the general routine in more detail.

Make them last longer

Gerberas don't drink much, and their stems are soft and a little fuzzy. When they sit deep in water, more of the stem is soaking, and bacteria build up quickly. Those bacteria plug the stem so water can't climb to the head, and the neck bends just below the flower. So the florist's tricks are all about keeping the stem clean and the water shallow.

• Keep it shallow. A few inches of water is plenty for gerberas on their own. Deep water does not help them.
• Use the flower food. The packet has an ingredient that slows bacteria as well as feeding the flowers. Flower-food makers report it can extend vase life by up to 60 percent compared with plain water. Skip home recipes like sugar, soda, aspirin or pennies; they don't do the job and sugar can feed the bacteria you are trying to stop.
• Keep the vase spotless. A quick rinse is not enough if there is a film on the glass. Scrub it with soap when you change the water.
• Keep them cool. A cool room slows everything down, including bacteria. At night you can move the vase to the coolest spot in the apartment.
• Handle the stems, not the faces. Gerbera petals mark easily, so move the bouquet by the vase or the stems.

Common problems

Why is my gerbera drooping at the neck?

Usually the stem is blocked, most often by bacteria, so water can't reach the head. Take the flower out, cut an inch or more off the bottom with a sharp blade, and put it back into a freshly washed vase with clean water and flower food. For a badly bent neck, roll the stem snugly in paper so it stands straight and let it drink for a few hours before you unwrap it. Keep the water shallow. If the neck is only slightly bent, it often straightens within a few hours. Our guide to reviving drooping flowers has more rescue steps.

Can I stop the heads from flopping over?

Florists sometimes run a thin wire or a clear sleeve up the stem to give the head support. At home, a snug vase that holds the stems upright helps, and so does a shorter stem: a gerbera cut lower has less neck to hold up. If one flower keeps flopping, cut it short and give it its own small glass.

Why are the petals turning brown or spotty at the tips?

This can come from age, warm rooms or water quality. Gerberas are known to be sensitive to fluoride in water, which can brown the petal tips. Fresh water, flower food and a cool room are the best you can do; just pull any flower that looks tired.

The water turned cloudy after a day. Is that normal?

It is common with gerberas, and it is a sign to act. Change the water right away, wash the vase, and trim the stems. Waiting a day or two is how the necks start to bend.

Something looks wrong on arrival. What should I do?

Call or email the shop within 3 days of delivery or pickup with your order number, the recipient's name and a clear photo, as explained in our refund policy. We'll take a look and make it right where we can.

Good to know

• Pets: the ASPCA lists gerbera daisy as non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses. Chewing any plant can still upset a pet's stomach. Some of our gerbera bouquets, such as Pink Passion, also include lilies, and lilies are life-threatening to cats: even a little pollen or a sip of the vase water can cause serious harm, so keep those arrangements well away from cats, or ask for "no lilies" in your cart's order note. See our pet-safe flowers guide, and if you think a pet has eaten something harmful, call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center.
• Pollen and scent: gerberas have almost no scent, so they suit a desk or a bedside table. If your bouquet also has lilies, pull off the lily anthers so the pollen doesn't stain.
• In our bouquets: you may see orange gerberas with roses and callas in Erly Riser, pink gerberas with lavender roses in Good Vibes, hot pink gerberas in Pink Passion, and pink gerberas with roses and snapdragons in Field of Dreams.
• Season: gerberas are greenhouse-grown and available year-round. For a particular color, ask the shop.