Gerbera jamesonii
1737
GRONOVIUS, 1690-1762, established the species Gerbera Casso corr. Spreng and named it after Traugott GERBER. GRONOVIUS was an important botanist in the Netherlands and England. The naming followed after Baron A.H. von CASSINI, 1781-1832, attorney and botanist in Paris, and Curt SPRENGEL, 1766-1833, medical officer of health and director of the Botanical Gardens in Halle (Germany).
Traugott GERBER, German botanist and medical doctor collected plants on behalf of the Tsarina Anna of Russia; in particular in the eastern part of Russia, wrote a book-Flora from Moscow. He died in 1743.
1878
REHMANN discovered a new gerbera species in the Transvaal (South Africa). JAMESON re-discovered this plant near Barberton, Eastern Transvaal. Anton REHMANN, Austrian botanist in Krakow (Poland) and Lemberg. He travelled to Russia, China as well as twice to South Africa. Robert JAMESON, merchant in Durban, Natal (South Africa).
1878-1888
JAMESON introduced the new Gerbera species to England. It flowered for the first time in Europe in TILLIET, Norwich (England); later on also in Kew Gardens (London) and in the Cambridge Botanical Garden.
1889
It was BOLUS’ suggestion to name the species after JAMESON; as described by HOOKER in Curtis’s Botanical Magazine. Gerbera jamesonii was mentioned for the first time in German specialist literature, “”Gartenflora””.
Harry BOLUS; 1834-1911, English botanist in Transvaal, was primarily involved with Ericaeen and orchids in South Africa. Joseph Dalton HOOKER, 1817-1911, a renowned British botanist, director of the Botanical Garden in Kew, publisher of the Botanical Magazine, undertook several trips around the world (1839 to the South Pole with Captain Ross, 1847-1851 India, 1877 North America, to name a few); he particularly studied the eastern Himalayan region.
1891
Gerbera hybrids breed by LYNCH, Cambridge (England) received a certificate 1st Class at the Royal Horticultural Society. The horticulturists VEITSCH SONS take over the Cambridge material and start marketing the flower. From this resulted the breeding work of ADNETS. Richard Irwin LYNCH, 1850-1924, curator of the Botanical Garden Cambridge, successful horticulturist and botanist, also researched Iris and Cinerarien.
1893
HAAGE and SCHMIDT in Erfurt (Germany), begin cultivating Gerbera jamesonii
1897
JAENICKE, New York, starts breeding with Gerbera jamesonii. Gerbera are cultivated on the French Riviera in La Mortola.
1901
HUGH, LOW and Co., Enfield (England), cultivate Gerbera in large quantities, mostly in pots.
1904
Horticultural company VILMORIN, Paris distributes gerbera seeds. HENKEL; Darmstadt (Germany) show Gerbera jamesonii in Düsseldorf. ADNET, Antibes (France) gives Gerbera jamesonii to horticultural companies SINAI in and BšR and FELDMANN both in Frankfurt. The first drawings of Gerbera jamesonii appear in German a specialist magazine (Gartenflora).
1905
SPRENGER, Vomera (Italy) records the following flowering plants (defined as species): Gerbera: G. transvalensis,G. sanguinea, G. illustris, G. jolanda, G. acanthifolia, G.superba, G. vomerensis, G. lmensis.
1909
Gerbera jamesonii are receiving strong recognition in specialist circles. ADNET displays gerbera at the international garden exhibitions in Berlin as well as London and Paris. Gerberas are described in the French and German specialist press; also by VILMORIN, ADNET in other publications, such as Revue Horticole and in M”llers Deutscher Gärtnerzeitung.
1912
The rose and carnation horticulture of BILLARD and GEHRICKE in Werbig also cultivate Gerbera.
1913
I.S. SCHMIDT, Erfurt, attempt to sprout rhizomes; this culture was however not pursued.
1914-1922
Most of the Gerbera cultures in Europe died.
1922
DIEM in Bordighera, previously a senior gardener with ADNET, re-commences breeding Gerbera jamesonii.
1925
SCHULZ nursery in Trebbin near Berlin, takes on Gerbera cultivation; this has been maintained for over 30 yearsup until the present (GPG “”Blumenstadt Trebbin””).
1927
HAHN does a lot for Gerbera cultivation through the publication “”Gartenwelt””. STEINAU, Juan leg Pins (France) breeds Gerbera, in particular the filled variety.
GRYMY, Hamburg-Grossborstel, cultivates Gerbera in pots.
1930
ENGELMANN, Saffron-Walden (England) starts with the cultivation of Gerbera.
1931
DE RIDDER, Aalsmeer (Netherlands), cultivates Gerbera.
1932
WESCOTT, Orlando, Florida (USA), cultivates Gerbera outdoors.
1933
Gerbera imported from Italy are traded at 3,504,00 DM wholesale.
1935
Various German nurseries commence test breeding with Gerbera, but almost without exception stop due to the culture’s uncertainty Gerbera wilting.
1937
TOMPKINS and TUCKER, USA, discover Phytophthora cryptogaea as being the cause for the Gerbera wilting.
1938
BOSIAN and MANN; Giesenheim (Germany) develop a successful Gerbera propagation through splitting.
1939
Japanese breeders introduce name types of Gerbera. At the beginning of the Second World War, Gerbera were cultivated in Belgium at SANDER, Bruges; in Germany at HECK in Lippstadt, HORNING in Steinheim, MILNZ in Waiblingen, SCHULZ in Trebbin and SCHWARZ in Berlin; in England at Saffron-Walden; in Italy at DIEM in Bordighera and in Switzerland at BAUM in Vevey.
1939-1947
Decline of gerbera cultures in Europe.
1945
After many years of grafting between American duplex types and Gerberas of Indian plants of the KORKARDENTYPE, EPPLE in Columbia, developed his own Gerbera species. HERSEY in California starts getting involved in Gerbera breeding.
1947
The Dutch nursery ALKEMADE and Son in Nordwyk and VAN STAVEREN in Aalsmeer took up the breeding of Gerbera jamesonii.
1948
European countries, in particular West Germany and Holland are starting to breed Gerberas again, or starting with the breeding.
1950
PENNINGSFELD, Weihenstephan, commences work with Gerbera jamesonii, in particular with regard to nutrition and substrates.
1953
The Institute for Horticulture in Dresden-Pillnitz of the German Academy of Agriculture in Berlin commences work on Gerbera jamesonii. For the first time EPPLE makes a statement in the “”Gartenwelt”” regarding breeding goals and the evaluation of Gerbera.
1955
Horticulture has expanded especially in Western Germany, in particular in the area around Straelen. The nursery GUDE in Berlin, started to cultivate Gerbera. In Switzerland, BRUMMER Frˆres in La Tour-de-Peilz is also cultivating Gerbera. In Denmark, the nursery FRANDSEN cultivates Gerberas of Dutch and American origin. ZWAART, experimental laboratory in Aalsmeer, documents the connection between the pH value and the appearance of the root rotting in the Gerbera plant. Gerbera experimentation is done at the Institute for Horticulture at the University Gizeh (Cairo, Egypt).
1956
STINSON, experimental laboratory Storos in Connecticut in the USA conducts tests between the acidity levels and flower yield of Gerbera.
1958
In some nurseries (HOMING in Steinheim; SINAI in Frankfurt; VAN STAVEREN, Aalsmeer) Gerberas are planted as hydro-cultures. In the course of specialisation there is a call for a separation of breeding and cultivation. In Germany 10000m2 of Gerbera are cultivated under glass.
1959
Phytophthora cryptogaea is confirmed by PAG as a significant cause of Gerbera wilting in Central Europe.
1961
PAG and MAATSCH prove in addition to Phytophthora cryptogaea, Verticillium alboatrum also causes a Gerbera wilting sickness.
1966
SCHMELZER discovers the TSNV (Tobacco Straighted Necrosis Virus) on the Gerbera. For the first time, PENNINGSFELD and FORCHTHAMMER successfully develop an agent to keep Gerbera flowers fresh.
1966/67
LEFRING successfully breeds a large flower “”Schwarzherz”” (black heart) Gerbera.
1968
MAURER carries out the first genetic-breeding research on Gerbera.
1970
BRUYN discovers the damage done to the Gerbera flower by fluoride.
1972
LEFERING develops a new intensive propagation method for Gerbera.
1973
STOFFERT and ROHLFING publish research to procedures regarding harvesting and marketing of Gerbera. Russia starts with Gerbera production on alarge scale.
2003
www.gerbera.org goes live.
Source: GERBERA-Pillnitzer Autorenkollektiv
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