Gerbera daisies are so vividly colored that they can sometimes make you wonder if they're real. Native to South Africa, the Gerbera flower is in the Aster family, alongside sunflower (Asteraceae)—however, the gerbera daisies we see today are a result of hybridization techniques. Best planted in spring after all chances of frost have passed, gerbera daisies can be grown from seed in both containers and garden beds. They'll establish themselves at a moderate pace, delivering their first flowers within 14 to 18 weeks and continuing to bloom throughout the summer. Gerbera contains naturally occurring coumarin derivatives. Gerbera is a tender perennial plant. 

The large flower heads of these daisies have ray-like petals around a center disk of tiny green or black flowers. There are four different classes of gerbera daisies: a single flower, semi-double flower, double flowers, and spider flowers. Each class delineates the number, position, and type of petals. The leaves of the plant are lobed or pinnate and often toothed.