What Greenery Looks Good With Gerbera Daisies?

The gerbera daisy, sometimes called the Transvaal daisy (Gerbera jamesonii) is grown for its showy, daisylike flowers, and is equally at home in garden beds or containers. Greens that complement gerbera daisies generally have the same growing requirements, including full sunlight, well-drained soil and regular moisture. Gerbera daisies grow as perennials in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 8 through 10. Because gerberas aren’t continuous bloomers, companion greenery that is variegated or textured can include interest to planting schemes.

Annuals

One of the very best greenery plants to develop with gerberas — particularly in containers is sweet potato vine (Ipomoea batatas), that is hardy in USDA zones 9 through 11. The deeply dissected leaf is bronze-purple, chartreuse or variegated, based on the variety. Sweet potato vine has a spreading or cascading habit. Another fantastic companion is licorice plant (Helichrysum petiolare), together with gray-green leaf which contrasts nicely with the reds, yellows and oranges of gerbera flowers. It is hardy in USDA zones 9 and 10 and requires room to spread, when not grown in containers.

Groundcovers

Gerberas can be underplanted with many different creeping groundcovers. Bugleweed (Ajuga reptans), that rises in USDA zones 3 through 9, flowers early in the spring, with blue flower spikes, but also for the majority of the season acts as a trustworthy backdrop to plants. Purple-leafed varieties, such as “Atropurpurea,” offer a fantastic foil for the brighter colors of gerbera. Miniature wormwood (Artemesia viridis) is evergreen, has succulent foliage and a creeping habit. It rises in USDA zones 3 through 9. The leaf can be slightly scented.

Scented Companions

Several of those scented-leaf geraniums (Pelargonium x fragrans) make great companions for gerberas. They blossom, however, the flowers are generally relatively small and insignificant, and their scented leaves deliver an extra dimension to the garden. Most grow in USDA zones 10 through 11. Lemon-scented geranium (Pelargonium crispum), together with its small, rounded green leaves is a particularly great contrast for showier flowers. Nutmeg-scented geranium has similar leaf, but with a spicy fragrance. Scented geraniums can be used to border beds of gerberas.

Grasses

The grassy tufts of low-growing miniature sweet flag (Acorus gramineus) make an attractive contrast with the stiff, erect form of the gerbera daisy. Sweet flag is hardy in USDA zones 5 through 9. The “Minimus Aureus” assortment has gold foliage. Dwarf mondo grass (Ophiogon japonicus) is hardy in USDA zones 7 through 10 and features dark, green grassy foliage and a clumping habit.

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