Wildflower series ~ Gerbera daisies

Gerbera viridifolia is a wild-growing daisy and one of the ancestors of fancier garden varieties of Gerbera daisies which are hybrids of various Gerbera species.

This Gerbera can be difficult to grow in a garden because it is another drought-proof indigenous plant with a large underground root and it will rot if grown in clay soils or if it is watered too frequently. Nursery cultivars are easier to grow as they are crossed with species that have smaller rootstocks and higher water requirements.

They are also difficult to photograph because the flowers open in the morning and close later in the day and taking photos of any flower that blooms in the middle of the day requires some contortion to deal with the impossibly strong sunlight. I have to get into a position with the sun behind me and try and throw enough of a shadow to get a useable image. Composition becomes very tricky.