The South African gerbera is a popular pot and cut flower. The stem grows up to 40 centimeters high and only bears a single flower - but the perennial produces flowers all year round. The Germini is the little sister of the Gerbera.
Which type of Gerbera is small and delicate?
The Germini is the little sister of the Gerbera and is characterized by its lower height and smaller flower diameters. They bloom in many colors and look just as beautiful as cut flowers in the vase.
Which types of Gerbera are particularly small?
Gerberas are available in countless different varieties, as is the particularlysmall and delicate GerminiThis, a subspecies of Gerbera, is in no way comparable to its big sister when it comes to the joy and duration of flowering after, it just stays significantly lower and also producessmaller flowers.
The flowers of the Germini measure between six and eight centimeters in diameter, and their stems are not as long as those of the larger varieties. For comparison: the flowers of the large gerbera can measure up to 15 centimeters. However, there are no other differences between the species.
What colors do the little gerberas bloom in?
Just because the mini gerberas are small doesn't make them any less beautiful than their larger sisters. It is estimated that there are up to 500 different varieties - no one really knows how many - in countless colors from white tosoft pastel to bright tonesmulticoloredandfilled varieties are also available.
These Germini varieties are particularly popular:
- ‘Albin’: pure white flowers
- ‘Banana’: bright yellow flowers
- ‘Black Night’: dark red flowers
- ‘Epic’: cream-colored flowers with a dark center
- 'Evelien': apricot-colored flowers with a dark center
- ‘Fanta’: bright orange flowers, double
- ‘Franky’: two-tone orange flowers, double
- ‘Honky Tonk’: two-tone white-pink flowers
- 'Terra Chantie': yellow flowers with black eye
- 'Topkapi': two-tone orange flowers with a dark center
- ‘Whisper’: flowers in bright pink
How do you properly care for small gerberas?
Like the large gerberas, the small germini are also cultivated primarily aspotted plants. To ensure that it feels comfortable and blooms all year round, you should care for it as follows:
- bright location with morning or evening sun
- warm, sheltered place (no drafts)
- loose, permeable substrate
- Mix conventional pot plant soil (€18.00 on Amazon) with sand or expanded clay
- Always keep the substrate slightly moist
- Avoid waterlogging
- ensure high humidity
- fertilize every 14 days with flowering plant fertilizer
You can cut off the dead stems, but the leaves should not be removed.
Gerbera and Germini do not differ in terms of their needs.
Are the small gerberas hardy?
Small gerberas are not hardy and should therefore not be planted in the garden. However, you can put the beautiful flowersoutside in summer on the terrace or balcony, where they provide an exotic flair - for example in combination with the oleander, which also blooms lushly.
During the winter months, care for the potted plants as follows:
- bring it into the house in October
- Do not fertilize between October and March
- water sparingly
- overwinter coolly at 12 to 15 degrees Celsius
- choose a bright, but not directly sunny location
- do not place near a heater
How do small gerberas stay fresh for a long time?
Bouquets often contain germini instead of gerberas. The small gerberas are just as suitable as cut flowers and also bloom in a vase forup to 14 days long. The flowers stay fresh for a long time if you
- place the vase in a bright and warm place
- change the water regularly
- cut the stems diagonally
- renew the diagonal cut occasionally
- leave the stems in the water for a maximum of two centimeters
Gerberas shouldnot be placed too deep in water, otherwise their stems will soften and begin to rot.
Tip
Are mini gerberas poisonous?
Like the large ones, the small gerberas are not poisonous to humans or animals. You should still exercise caution, because the flowers are often treated with pesticides, which are naturally poisonous.
