Gerbera - Gerbera

Japanese: ガーベラ - がーべら

A semi-cold-tolerant perennial plant of the Asteraceae family (APG classification: Asteraceae). Native to temperate and tropical regions of Asia and Africa, it was introduced to Japan at the end of the Meiji period. The leaves grow densely at the base of the plant, with petioles 10-15 cm long and leaf blades 15-30 cm long. The leaf margins vary greatly, from shallowly to deeply lobed, depending on the variety. The upper surface is deep green and hairless, but the underside is fluffy. In May, several flower stalks 10-50 cm long grow from the ground, and one flower about 10 cm in diameter grows at the tip. Usually, ray flowers are arranged in one or two rows radially around the periphery, and the center is a short tubular flower, but various flower types such as semi-double and double are seen. The flower colors are extremely diverse, including red, pink, orange, white, pale purple, yellow, as well as bicolor and ringed. The flowering season is usually from May to November, but it will bloom even in the cold if the temperature is 7°C, and the number of flowers can be increased by raising the temperature to 15°C or higher. The most commonly cultivated variety is the gemsoni (G. jamesonii Bolus) native to South Africa, which is used for flower beds and is the third most popular cut flower after carnations and roses. Dwarf varieties have also been developed, and are increasingly being grown in pots.

[Uoman Eiichi February 18, 2022]

Cultivation

It grows well in any sunny location with good drainage, and by the end of autumn, more than 10 flowers will bloom from one plant, but in a greenhouse, if you expect to harvest around 50 flowers from one plant per year, you need to grow it in deep, fertile soil with plenty of fertilizer. Continuous cultivation should be avoided, and the plants are usually divided in the spring of the third year, at which point the planting location should be changed or, if in a greenhouse, the soil should be disinfected to avoid continuous crop problems. In commercial cultivation, the emphasis is on productivity and disease-freeness, and disease-free seedlings are grown by meristem culture every year or two. For wintering in areas north of the Kanto region, the plants are dug up in autumn, temporarily planted and covered with soil, or, in the case of flower beds, more soil is added on top of the plants. In highland areas, the Tohoku region, and Hokkaido, measures such as covering the soil or adding more soil with vinyl are required. It is possible to grow them from seed, but care must be taken when growing them; for example, they should be sown in boxes and then transplanted into 2.5-inch pots when they have 3 or 4 true leaves, and then transplanted after 30 to 40 days when the roots have fully developed.

[Uoman Eiichi February 18, 2022]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

キク科（APG分類：キク科）の半耐寒性多年草。アジア、アフリカの温帯および熱帯の原産で、日本へは明治末年に渡来した。葉は根際に密生し、葉柄は10～15センチメートル、葉身は15～30センチメートル、葉縁は品種により浅く裂けるもの、深く裂けるものなど違いが大きく、表面は深緑色で毛はないが、裏面には綿毛がある。5月に地際から10～50センチメートルの花茎を数本伸ばし、先端に径約10センチメートルの花を1個つける。普通は舌状花が周辺に1、2列放射状に並び、中心は短い筒状花であるが、半八重、八重と多様な花型がみられる。花色は赤、桃、橙(だいだい)、白、淡紫、黄のほか、複色、覆輪などきわめて豊富である。花期は普通は5～11月であるが、7℃あれば寒中でも開花し、15℃以上にすると採花本数を増やすこともできる。一般によく栽培されるのは南アフリカ原産のジェムソニーG. jamesonii Bolusで、花壇用とされるほか、切り花用としてはカーネーション、バラに次ぐ需要がある。また、矮性(わいせい)種も作出され、鉢植え用も増えている。

［魚躬詔一　2022年2月18日］

栽培

日当りと排水のよい所ならどこでもよく育ち、秋末までに1株から10本以上開花するが、温室内では年間で1株から50本前後の採花を期待するなら、耕土の深い肥沃(ひよく)地での多肥栽培が必要となる。連作は避け、普通は3年目の春に株分けをし、そのときに植え場所をかえるか、温室内なら土壌消毒をして連作障害を避ける。営利栽培では、生産性と無病性を重視し、1年または2年ごとに成長点培養（メリクロン）による無病苗を利用している。関東地方以北の越冬は、秋に掘り上げ、仮植して覆土するか、花壇の場合は株の上に増土する。高冷地や東北地方、北海道では覆土または増土の上をさらにビニルで覆うなどの処置が必要である。実生(みしょう)も可能であるが、箱播(はこま)きして本葉3、4枚のとき2.5号鉢に植え、30～40日経って根が十分張ったころ定植するなど苗作りには注意を要する。

［魚躬詔一　2022年2月18日］

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