A thing of beauty is a joy forever, thus said the poet. Garbera is one such thing of beauty that never fails to please the eyes of the beholder. Its delicate hues of colour and soft petals, when in full bloom, adds elegance to nature. Gerbera is a genus of plants in the Asteraceae (daisy) family which is also commonly known as African daisy.
Gerbera is very popular and widely used as a decorative garden plant or as cut flower. The domesticated cultivars are mostly a result of a cross between Gerbera jamesonii and another South African species Gerbera viridifolia. The cross is known as Gerbera hybrida. Thousands of cultivars exist. They vary greatly in shape and size. Colours include white, yellow, orange, red, and pink. The centre of the flower is sometimes black. Often the same flower can have petals of several different colours. Gerbera is also important commercially. It is the fifth most used cut flower in the world (after rose, carnation, chrysanthemum and tulip. Matiur Rahman, researcher of the department of Botany of Rajshahi University pioneered the tissue culture of Gerbera flower. Professor Dr. M. Monjur Hossain of Rajshahi University supervised the research work.
Matiur Rahman mentioned, Gerbera is a globally famed decorative flower. It has a tremendous commercial potential and already it is being cultivated successfully in various places of the country. The flower is very attractive to look for its varieties of bright colour, shape and longevity.
