Latin Name
Gerbera jamesonii
Description
The Barberton is a small daisy with a rosette of irregularly shaped leaves; often deeply divided. The flowers are actually flower heads made up of many, small, tightly clustered flowers or florets. The flowers may be red, pink, orange or yellow and appear from August through to December.
The shape of the flower head varies greatly. Many species have button-like heads without showy ray florets, while others have ray florets marked with spots to attract pollinating beetles which they mimic. The Daisy family is one of the largest plant families in the world, with over 23 000 species.
Habitat
The Barberton Daisy grows in the Northern Province of South Africa and the Kruger National Park
Seed
The seeds of daisies have small hair-tufts or other parachute-like devices to help dispersal by wind.
Field Notes
The Barberton Daisy has developed cult-like status in parts of South Africa, and is the emblem of a number of sports teams, including the Blue Bulls rugby union, and other organisations. It is also depicted on the flag and Coat of Arms of the province of Mpumalanga.
Named for its discoverer, Robert Jameson, and the place of its discovery, Barberton town in Mpumalanga Province, the Barberton Daisy is now thought to be the most cut flower on earth for floral arrangements.
