Shasta vs. Gerbera Daisies

Appearance

• Most Shasta daisies, which grow 2 to 4 feet tall and 2 feet wide, are white with yellow centers. Gerbera daisies, also known as Transvaal daisies, come in a range of pure colors from cream, to yellow, to orange to red, with colored centers also in a range of colors. Both daises bloom in summer and fall, though if your climate is just right, your gerbera daisies may bloom throughout the year.

Climate

• Of the many Shasta daisy cultivars, most thrive in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 5 through 9, with hardy varieties growing in USDA zones 4 through 9. Gerbera daisies are native to South Africa, and as such, grow in a warmer climate, in USDA zones 8 through 10. If you live in a cool climate, you can still grow the flowers as summer annuals.

Culture

• Both daisies can grow together in full sun; however Shasta daisies in USDA zones 8 and 9 and those with double flowers do best in partial shade, as do gerbera daisies in very hot weather. Both daisies need regular, weekly water during the growing season and well-draining soil. If you cut off spent flowers, both daisies will provide additional blooms until the weather turns cool in the fall.

Use

• Either daisy provides brightness to a garden bed or as edging in the front of the bed, with Shasta daisy's bright white and gerbera's pure colors. They look good planted singly or massed together in groups. Both plants also provide long-lasting blooms for indoor arrangements, especially if you make a 1-inch slit in the stems before placing them in water.