Gerbera, the flower of October 12th

There is at least one birthday flower for every day of the year. For October 12th there are two birthday flowers that I am aware of. One is Helenium flowers, and the other Gerbera flowers. Gerbera, also called African Daisy, is a genus of plants in the Asteraceae family, the same family as daisies. In fact, gerbera and daisies look quite alike. 

The main difference between gerbera and daisies is the size and vibrancy. Gerberas are known for their large, showy blooms with a wide range of vibrant colors, while the  traditional daisy often has simple white petals with a yellow center and is more delicate.  Moreover, a gerbera is a specific type of daisy.  "Daisy" is a general term for a large variety of flowers, while "gerbera" refers to a particular genus within the daisy range.

In English overall gerbera represents "cheerfulness" and "beauty" and each color has a meaning of its own. In Japanese there are conflicting reports of the meaning, but "ardent love" and "optimism" seem to be accepted as the most generic meaning of gerbera flowers. The gerbera is also the flower of February 11th and August 1st. The red gerbera is the flower of January 21st. The main season for gerbera is April, but they can also bloom in Autumn too.