Name
Generic name Nerium derived from ancient Greek. νερος (neuros) - raw, which is associated with the habitat of the plant. Specific epithet oleander probably comes from Lat. olea - olive and other Greek ἀνήρ (aner) or ανδρος (andros) - man .
Spreading
The homeland of oleander is a vast strip of dry and semi-dry subtropics from Morocco and Portugal in the west to Southern China in the east. Wild oleander often occupies the beds of dry rivers (creeks, wadis).
Botanical description
Oleander is a large evergreen shrub with branching stems of a brownish color, covered with rounded lentils. The leaves are narrow, up to 10-15 cm long and up to 3 cm wide, lanceolate or linear-lanceolate, entire or incomparate, on short petioles, glabrous, leathery, with a light midrib, arranged oppositely or in whorls of 3 or 4.
Oleander flowers are bright, large, five-membered, in corymbose inflorescences at the ends of the shoots.
Toxicity
All parts of the plant are poisonous, which is due to their content of oleandrin, cornerin and other cardiac glycosides. Oleander juice, taken internally, causes severe colic in humans and animals, vomiting and diarrhea, and then leads to serious problems in the functioning of the heart and central nervous system. The cardiac glycosides it contains can cause cardiac arrest. Due to the toxicity of the plant, it is not recommended to place it in children's institutions.
Medical use
Agricultural technologyFor active and long-term flowering, the plant requires bright sunlight. The soil should be well drained.
Reproduction - in spring by seeds, in summer by layering.
If the branches grow too tall in height, the bush can be rejuvenated by cutting the branches short in the spring.
Varieties
Many varieties of oleander have been developed, differing in habit (including the height of adult plants - from 1.8 to 3.5 m), foliage color, corolla color; Some varieties have simple flowers, others have double flowers (with an increased number of petals).
Taxonomy
Previously, the genus Nerium L. was considered as oligotypic, the existence of three species was usually indicated, but later it was generally accepted that there were no significant grounds for identifying the species Nerium indicum Mill.(Indian oleander) and Nerium odorum Sol.(Oleander fragrant). Both of these names are now included in the synonymy of the species Nerium oleander L. (common oleander).
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Notes
Literature
- Nerium// Botany. Encyclopedia “All the Plants of the World”: Trans. from English = Botanica / ed. D. Grigoriev et al. - M.: Könemann, 2006. - P. 602. - 1020 p. - ISBN 3-8331-1621-8.
Links
- Oleander // Great Soviet Encyclopedia: [in 30 volumes] / ch. ed. A. M. Prokhorov. - 3rd ed. - M. : Soviet encyclopedia, 1969-1978. (Retrieved February 9, 2013)
- , International Oleander Society(English)
- (English) . IPCS Poisons Information Monograph (PIM) 366. IPCS. Retrieved March 19, 2014. .
Excerpt characterizing Oleander
Damiana’s face, calmed in death, smoothed out, and she seemed simply asleep, she was so pure and beautiful now... Sobbing bitterly, I sank onto a rough seat next to her empty body... My heart froze with bitterness and resentment for her innocent, cut short life ... And somewhere very deep in my soul a fierce hatred rose, threatening to break out and sweep away this entire criminal, terrifying world from the face of the Earth...Finally, having somehow gathered myself together, I looked once again at the brave girl-child, mentally wishing her peace and happiness in her new world, and quietly walked out the door...
The horror I saw paralyzed my consciousness, depriving me of the desire to explore the papal basement further... threatening to bring down on me someone else's suffering, which could turn out to be even worse. Just as I was about to go upstairs, I suddenly suddenly felt a weak but very persistent call. Listening in surprise, I finally realized that they were calling me from here, from the same basement. And then, forgetting all my previous fears, I decided to check it out.
The call was repeated until I walked straight to the door from which it came...
The cell was empty and damp, without any lighting. And in the very corner of it, a man was sitting on the straw. Coming closer to him, I suddenly screamed - it was my old friend, Cardinal Morone... His proud face, this time, was red with bruises, and it was clear that the cardinal was suffering.
– Oh, I’m very glad that you are alive!.. Hello, monsignor! Have you tried to call me?
He stood up slightly, wincing in pain, and said very seriously:
- Yes, Madonna. I've been calling you for a long time, but for some reason you didn't hear. Although they were very close.
“I helped a good girl say goodbye to our cruel world...” I answered sadly. - Why do you need me, Your Eminence? Can I help you?..
- This is not about me, Madonna. Tell me, your daughter's name is Anna, isn't it?
The walls of the room began to shake... Anna!!! Lord, not Anna!.. I grabbed some protruding corner so as not to fall.
– Speak, monsignor... You are right, my daughter’s name is Anna.
My world was collapsing without even knowing the reasons for what happened... It was enough that Caraffa mentioned my poor girl. There was no hope of expecting anything good from this.
– When the Pope was “studying” me in the same basement last night, the man told him that your daughter had left the monastery... And for some reason Caraffa was very pleased with this. That's why I decided to somehow break this news to you. After all, his joy, as I understand it, brings only misfortune to everyone? Am I right, Madonna?..
- No... You are right, Your Eminence. Did he say anything else? Even some little thing that could help me?
Hoping to get at least the slightest “addition,” I asked. But Morone just shook his head negatively...
- I'm sorry, Madonna. He only said that you were very mistaken, and that love has never brought good to anyone. If that tells you anything, Isidora.
I just nodded, trying to collect my thoughts, which were scattered in panic. And trying not to show Morona how shocked I was by the news he said, she said as calmly as possible:
“Would you allow me to treat you, monseigneur?” It seems to me that you could use my “witch” help again. And thank you for the message... Even the bad one. It’s always better to know the enemy’s plans in advance, even the worst, isn’t it?..
Morone peered carefully into my eyes, painfully trying to find in them the answer to some question that was important to him. But my soul closed itself off from the world so as not to get sick... in order to withstand the upcoming test... And the cardinal was now greeted only by a trained “secular” look, which did not allow him to penetrate my soul, frozen in horror...
“Are you really afraid, Madonna?” – Morone asked quietly. – You are a thousand times stronger than him! Why are you afraid of him?!..
– He has something that I am not yet able to fight... And I am not yet able to kill him. Oh, believe me, Your Eminence, if only I found the key to this poisonous viper! I will ease your pain.
But the cardinal, with a smile, refused.
– Tomorrow I will be in another, calmer place. And I hope Caraffa will forget about me for a while. Well, what about you, Madonna? What will become of you? I can't help you out of your imprisonment, but my friends are quite influential. Can I be of assistance to you?
– Thank you, monseigneur, for your concern. But I don’t have vain hopes, hoping to get out of here... He will never let me go... Not my poor daughter. I live to destroy it. He should have no place among people.
“It’s a pity that I didn’t recognize you earlier, Isidora.” Perhaps we would have become good friends. Now goodbye. You can't stay here. Dad will definitely come to wish me “good luck.” There is no need for you to meet him here. Save your daughter, Madonna... And don’t give up to Karaffa. May God be with you!
– What God are you talking about, monseigneur? – I asked sadly.
“Surely, not the one to whom Caraffa prays!” Morone smiled goodbye.
I stood there for a moment, trying to remember the image of this wonderful man in my soul, and, waving goodbye, I went out into the corridor.
The sky opened up with a flurry of anxiety, panic and fear!.. Where was my brave, lonely girl now?! What prompted her to leave Meteora?.. For some reason Anna did not respond to my persistent calls, although I knew that she heard me. This instilled even greater anxiety, and I only held on with the last of my strength so as not to succumb to the panic burning my soul, since I knew that Caraffa would certainly take advantage of any weakness of mine. And then I will have to lose before I even begin to resist...
Secluded in “my” chambers, I “licked” old wounds, not even hoping that they would ever heal, but simply trying to be as strong and calm as possible in case of any opportunity to start a war with Caraffa... There is no point in hoping for a miracle it was, because I knew perfectly well that in our case miracles were not expected... Everything that happens, I will have to do only myself.
Inaction was killing, making me feel forgotten by everyone, helpless and unnecessary... And although I knew perfectly well that I was wrong, the worm of “black doubt” successfully gnawed at my inflamed brain, leaving there a bright trace of uncertainty and regrets...
I didn’t regret that I was with Caraffa myself... But I was terribly afraid for Anna. And also, I still couldn’t forgive myself for the death of my father and Girolamo, my beloved and the best people in the world for me... Will I ever be able to avenge them?.. Isn’t everyone right when they say that Caraffa cannot be defeated ? That I won’t destroy him, but will just die stupidly myself?.. Was the North really right in inviting him to go to Meteora? And was it really possible that the hope of destroying the Pope all this time lived only in me?!..
And one more thing... I felt that I was very tired... Inhumanly, terribly tired... Sometimes it even seemed - wouldn’t it have been better to go to Meteora?.. After all, someone went there?.. And why They weren’t worried that people were dying around them. It was important for them to KNOW, to receive intimate KNOWLEDGE, since they considered themselves exceptionally gifted... But, on the other hand, if they were truly so “exceptional,” then how could they forget the simplest, but in my opinion, our very important commandment is - do not retire while others need your help... How could they just close themselves off so easily, without even looking around, without trying to help others?.. How did they calm their souls?..
The oleander plant (pink laurel) is an evergreen perennial with brown stems, fleshy leaves and beautiful flowers. The homeland of this culture is the Portuguese tropics, Morocco and western China. Flower growers do not recommend keeping African varieties indoors, as they can harm health with their fumes, causing headaches and dizziness.
general information
In its natural environment, the shrub reaches 4 meters in height. In houses its height does not exceed 2 meters. Therefore, it is advisable to grow the plant in spacious and well-lit rooms.
The attractive flowers of the common oleander form racemose inflorescences and can be double or single. Their colors can be white, pink, red or yellow.
If you follow these rules, you can grow a healthy plant indoors. The white oleander flower will fit perfectly into any design.
Replanting and pruning
After purchasing the crop, it must be placed in a fertile soil mixture. To do this, you can use a mixture of clay and humus or a composition based on peat, manure and garden soil.
Young plants need to be replanted at the beginning of each spring. Adult flowers require replanting every 2-3 years. Plant transplantation is carried out according to the following scheme:
Then the seedling needs to be moistened abundantly. To achieve lush flowering, the plant must be pruned regularly. This procedure is performed after flowering. Branches need to be cut to ½ of their length.
Flower growers with extensive experience advise cutting off weak shoots from the plant every year. This will free up space for new shoots, and the bush at the bottom will not be exposed. Drying petals must be trimmed very carefully without damaging the inflorescences.
Possible problems
You can control pests with the help of insecticides. If you provide the plant with proper care, it will delight you with flowering every year.
Reproduction methods
The crop is propagated by seeds, cuttings or air layering. The last method is the simplest and most effective. In order for roots to appear, you need to make an incision on a healthy branch, remove the bark from it and lightly press it into moistened sand or into a vessel with water. After roots appear on the branch, the branch is cut off from the parent crop and transplanted into a separate pot.
Oleander is a plant with extremely fragrant and beautiful flowers, fraught with a deadly threat. In the middle of the last century it grew in many apartments. But the rumor about its poisonous leaves forced many housewives to get rid of the oleander. Especially if there were small children in their house. Although no one confirms with real stories the destructive effect of oleander on the owners or their guests, there are few who want to risk their children. And yet it is difficult to resist the beauty of this flower, which simultaneously heals and kills. What kind of plant is this and how to care for it?
Oleander in nature
The oleander plant (Nérium oleander - lat.) belongs to the Kurt family. It grows wild in countries with a dry or semi-dry Mediterranean climate. There are three species of this shrub. In our area it grows wild at the latitude of the Black Sea coast. Its thickets can be seen near bodies of water, especially in river branches. In the southern resorts, oleander grows everywhere, delighting vacationers with charming flowers and a wonderful aroma. In more northern regions it can only survive indoors. Common oleander or nerium are grown at home.
Legends and myths
Oleander is a flower that was grown as a cultivated plant in Ancient Rome and Greece. The first part of the name “ole” means “oil” or “fragrant”. The second part "andr" can mean "man" or the name of the Greek island of Andros. Nerium may have received its name from the legend of the Nereids, daughters of the sea god, who lived in the vicinity of the island of Andros. They allegedly hid from the dangers that awaited them in the thickets of this bush. It was difficult to find them there, and the poisonous branches of nerium prevented anyone from getting close to them.
And the Greek word “nerios” itself means “raw”, that is, nerium is a plant that loves moisture, growing near water.
Myths associated with oleander are based on the poisonous properties of all parts of the plant. They are told in different countries, but the ending is the same. They are talking either about the soldiers of Macedon and Napoleon, or about the English conquerors of Central Asia. But the essence comes down to one thing: having fried meat strung on oleander branches and eaten it, they died by morning. That is, the plant helped destroy the enemies of the country in which it grew.
Appearance
Oleander is an evergreen plant about 2.5 m high with beautiful leathery leaves, shaped like willow leaves, but dark green in color and much denser. This is where the similarities with willow end. Light gray smooth branches grow upward without bending. Oleander is a flower that is beautiful at any time of the year. But it is especially beautiful at the time of flowering. The first buds appear in the summer, in June. It blooms for a long time, some varieties - until October. The buds open gradually, not all at once. Therefore, in a flowering cluster you can simultaneously see unopened buds, blooming ones, and the ovary. And because of this, the flowering period is lengthened.
The color of oleander buds is most often pink, white, cream, and sometimes yellow are also found. There are also varieties with lilac and purple flowers. Their size can reach 5 cm. The shape of the flowers, their size, and doubleness depend on the variety. They all have a pleasant, but very strong aroma in large quantities. It may give you a headache. Therefore, it is not recommended to place the oleander in the bedroom or room where people stay for a long time.
The fruits are multi-seeded leaflets. Their length reaches 10 cm. They ripen in November. You can grow an oleander flower from seeds.
How to care?
In order for the oleander to delight you with abundant flowers, it needs good lighting, watering and nutrition. In addition, you need to maintain a certain temperature regime. At a time when nerium is actively growing, the temperature should be from 20 to 25 degrees. Oleander at home normally tolerates temperatures of 28 and even 30 degrees. But it cannot be placed near radiators or other heating devices. In winter, the oleander has a dormant period, so the temperature needs to be lowered to 12 degrees or lower. But it shouldn't freeze either. The minimum temperature is 2 degrees Celsius. But the plant should be well lit all the time. Otherwise, its leaves will fall off, and the oleander will not bloom in summer. Optimal for it would be bright but diffused lighting.
An excellent place in the apartment is the southern windows, where the oleander flower feels best. If you are unable to provide it with sufficient natural light, you can use fluorescent lamps for this. Oleander at home is easily affected by diseases and pests and completely loses its attractiveness. This happens if he is constantly in the shade.
Oleander is a flower that grows on the banks of reservoirs and loves moist air. When heating the room with gas appliances, it is too dry. Therefore, the plant must be constantly sprayed or placed in a container with water, which will evaporate and increase the humidity in the room. At the same time, nerium normally tolerates drying out of the earth clod. After all, its leathery leaves contain a large supply of moisture and use it sparingly.
Watering
In winter, water the oleander little, once every ten days, and make sure that the soil in the pot does not dry out. In summer, the amount of moisture is increased, not forgetting about good drainage. You cannot flood the bush. This can lead to root rot and plant death. The first sign of damage is leaves that have turned yellow due to lack of air in the root system.
But you shouldn’t go to extremes and water very rarely. This also negatively affects the condition of the bush. If the leaves turn yellow from the center and fall off, this indicates insufficient watering.
You can take the tree outside, place it in a bowl of water, and add a layer of gravel to the bottom. Water regularly, as it dries, with rain or settled water at room temperature, to which oleander responds well.
Cultivation includes fertilizing with organic or mineral fertilizers created specifically for flowering indoor plants. During active growth, do this every week, in winter - once a month.
Transfer
Initially, the oleander plant is planted in the spring in a small pot with good drainage. It begins to grow quickly, so it needs to be replanted every year, increasing the size of the pot. When the tree grows, it is enough to do this once every two to three years. Adult plants are transplanted using the transshipment method.
You can simply replace the old soil with new one, removing the top layer of soil, and fill in a new one. It is obtained by mixing humus, peat and turf soil in equal parts. You can add coarse sand and a little lime (10 g per bucket of soil). They also use ready-made slightly acidic soil for indoor plants, adding sand to it. Before replanting, the soil is sterilized by calcination or spilling with a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
Trimming
If the oleander is not pruned, it forms in the form of a bush, as in the wild. But a tree-shaped plant will look better. Its trunk will be thicker and smoother. To do this, the bush must be trimmed correctly. They do this with gloves and very carefully so that the poisonous oleander juice does not get on the mucous membranes. After pruning, wash the pruning shears or scissors thoroughly.
Prune after the bush has finished flowering. But do not rush to remove inflorescences that seem to have already faded. Buds may appear on them again.
In spring, the plant is not pruned so as not to remove the flowers that formed last year. Then your oleander will bloom magnificently.
Reproduction
Getting a new plant is very easy. To do this, take a cutting (preferably non-lignified) and place the cut end in water. To prevent it from rotting, you can throw a little charcoal into the dish. When the roots appear, a young oleander is planted in the ground. Propagation can be carried out by planting a cutting under a jar or directly into a pot. Its leaves are dense, so they do not fade. But as practice shows, rooting in this case will take longer.
Usually oleander cuttings take root without problems. They bloom the next year after planting.
You can grow nerium from seeds. They are harvested at the end of October. Brown seeds fly out of the capsule that formed in place of the flower. They quickly lose their viability. They are collected, not forgetting about safety measures, and sown to a depth of 1 cm. There is no need to stratify.
When choosing a reproduction method, evaluate your task. If you need to get a flower “like your friend’s,” then feel free to cut the stalk. If you want to create a new variety, then you need to tinker with the seeds.
Diseases
Oleander is a flower that, like most plants, can be affected by fungal diseases. To prevent them, you need to thoroughly disinfect the soil, properly water and feed.
Harm to the plant can be caused by pests that are not at all afraid of poisonous sap. You can see aphids, scale insects, and spider mites if you carefully examine the oleander.
They fight diseases and pests if they are detected using chemicals or products of organic origin (Agrofit, Fitoverm).
Harm
A beautiful tree with beautiful flowers, a pleasant smell and a euphonious name is actually very dangerous. All parts of the oleander plant are poisonous. Juice is especially dangerous. And if it is not so easy to get poisoned by seeds, then it is very easy to come into contact with the juice. It is enough to break off oleander leaves, a branch, a flower and touch them to the skin of your hands or face.
It is especially dangerous for children. It is difficult to explain to a child why this beautiful tree should be avoided. And it's hard to keep track of him. Therefore, when small children appear in the house, it is better to get rid of oleander until they grow up thoroughly.
Symptoms of poisoning
Anyone who has oleander growing needs to know them in order to quickly seek help from a doctor. After poisoning with oleander juice, the heartbeat slows down, then diarrhea mixed with blood begins. Breathing becomes difficult, the person loses consciousness.
Benefit
But oleander is a rare plant that both heals and kills. As they say, it all depends on the dose.
Preparations are obtained from the leaves of the plant that help normalize the functioning of the cardiovascular system. They do this with the help of glycosides, which help restore normal heart function by acting on the heart muscle.
Medicines created from nerium leaves have a positive effect on liver activity, normalize blood pressure, and help improve immunity. Scabies and dermatitis are treated with ointment from nerium leaves. There is information that they help treat thyrotoxicosis and diseases of the nervous system. But since an overdose of the drug is fraught with dangerous consequences, it is used in homeopathic doses.
A useful feature of nerium is its ability to grow in areas where gas and dust levels are significantly exceeded. Growing there, it purifies the air.
Types of oleanders
- White oleander is a shrub reaching a height of 5 meters. Its flowers, as the name suggests, are white. Although white oleander has poisonous leaves, they are used to make medicines.
- Indoor oleander.
- Pink nerium likes to grow in cozy places.
- Yellow oleander has unusually shaped bell-shaped flowers. They are different from other varieties. The fruit is the size of a chestnut and can produce two sprouts at once.
- Red oleander is a low shrub (up to 2 meters). Its flowers have very beautiful bright colors.
- Double oleander can have petals of different colors: from white to cream.
Oleander is a perennial evergreen shrub with elongated leathery leaves, brownish stems and bright fragrant flowers. The plant is native to western China, Morocco and the tropical zones of Portugal. It is not recommended to keep African plants indoors, as they emit harmful fumes that cause dizziness and headaches.
The flower adapted for indoor conditions was grown in southern Europe. Caring for such an oleander is quite simple, but requires following certain recommendations.
Oleander or pink laurel - description, photo
The oleander is called pink laurel because its brown stems are strewn with the same dark green, leathery, pointed leaves as those of laurel.
In nature, a tree grows up to four meters. At home, an oleander bush can grow up to two meters. That is why it is recommended to keep it in spacious rooms with good lighting.
Beautiful fragrant pink laurel flowers are collected in racemes and can be single or double. In the photo in our gallery you can see plants that have yellow, red, pink and white flowers.
When growing oleander, you should be aware that the plant contains poisonous sap. Therefore, you should take care of it very carefully. It is not recommended to place the flower in the bedroom, in a room where children and pets will live, and when pruning a bush It is recommended to wear gloves, and cover your face.
But oleander can also be very useful. Experts noted that in the house where this beautiful flower has settled there is significantly less waste and toxins.
Types of oleander - photo
The plant is divided into three types:
- Common oleander.
- Indian.
- Fragrant.
In turn, the common oleander has many varieties with different flower colors. Classic plant varieties have white, yellow, red and pink color. The flowers of hybrid varieties can be huge snow-white and lush crimson, plain and variegated.
Indian and fragrant oleanders cannot boast of such a variety of varieties, however, this does not mean that there is nothing interesting in them.
For example, the Indian oleander blooms from June to October with large five-petaled, bright flowers with a sweet smell, which can be yellow, red, pink, or white. The fragrant oleander grows to only 50 centimeters and has a wonderful smell.
Oleander - care and cultivation
Pink laurel is an unpretentious plant, which even a novice gardener can grow at home.
In order for a plant to grow well and bloom luxuriantly, it needs good lighting. Windows facing southeast are best suited for this. When the flower is located on the north side or in the back of the room, the lack of light can be compensated for by artificial lighting.
In summer, it is recommended to take the oleander outside or into the loggia. In this case, the plant must be protected from precipitation and direct sunlight. In the winter season, a flower backlight required fluorescent lamps. Daylight should last eight hours, and the lamps should be located no closer than seventy centimeters from the bush.
Optimal conditions for growing oleander
Pink laurel loves moist air, stable temperatures and well-fertilized soil. Therefore, when caring for it at home, it is necessary follow some rules.
Transplanting and pruning oleander
Immediately after purchasing a plant, it is required from peat transplant into fertile substrate, which can be of several types:
- a mixture of garden soil, manure and peat;
- a mixture of humus and clay.
Young plants are replanted every spring, and adults - every two or three years.
For proper transplantation you need:
- Place a layer of drainage at the bottom of the pot, which can be gravel, expanded clay or small pebbles.
- Sprinkle a small amount of soil mixture in the second layer.
- Carefully remove the flower from the old container and place it on the substrate.
- Add the required amount of soil around the roots of the plant and at the same time press it against the roots.
After the bush is planted, it must be watered abundantly.
In order for the oleander to bloom profusely, when caring for it, do not forget that the plant requires regular pruning. This procedure is carried out immediately after flowering, and the branches should be cut to half their entire length.
Wilted petals must be removed carefully without damaging the inflorescences, which may produce repeat flowers.
Possible problems when growing oleander
Growing any plant at home, including oleander, will not always be problem-free. A flower can be destroyed by improper care or maintenance, diseases, or pests.
Therefore it is necessary study the main problems, which gardeners most often encounter when caring for indoor oleander:
With proper care and proper humidity and temperature conditions, such problems should not arise.
Oleander propagation methods
Propagate oleander at home there are three ways:
- air layering;
- cuttings;
- seeds.
Reproduction by layering
Propagation by air layering is a fairly simple and effective method. For roots to appear, you need to cut the branch, remove the bark and lower the allotted area in a container of water or into wet sand.
After the roots appear, the branch is cut off from the main plant and planted in the prepared earthen mixture.
Oleander cuttings
The plant propagates using cuttings in spring or autumn. To do this, shoots are cut from the bush, the length of which should be about 15 centimeters. For rooting, you can use cuttings left after trimming the oleander.
Cutting locations are needed treat with coal powder, and place the cuttings in a mixture of sand, perlite and charcoal.
The container with the planted cuttings should be placed in a well-lit room with a stable temperature. To prevent the cuttings from rotting, watering should be moderate.
After about a month, the shoots will give roots, and they can be transplanted into a mixture with equal proportions of peat soil, turf, sand and humus.
Propagation by seeds
Oleander seeds have low germination rate, so it is recommended to sow them immediately after collection.
Before planting, the seed material is soaked for thirty minutes in a weak solution of fungicide or potassium permanganate. After this, they should be kept for an hour in Heteroauxin solution or Zircon.
Seeds should be sown superficially in the same soil mixture in which the oleander grows. The temperature in the room where the seeds will germinate should be between 30-35C. If the temperature is lower, the seeds may rot or the emergence of seedlings will be delayed for a long time. Under favorable conditions, seedlings germinate in 10-12 days.
Caring for emerging seedlings includes:
After 4-5 true leaves appear, young oleander sprouts are planted in separate pots.
Growing and even propagating oleander at home is not at all difficult. This unpretentious plant, with proper care, will delight and surprise for a long time with its beautiful, bright and lush flowering.
Oleander - the beauty of this plant is undeniable: it’s as if double roses strewn the delicate tree. For centuries, poets, writers, and artists have sung the magnificence of bright colors:
Cold gold of the moon
The smell of oleander and gillyflower.
It's good to wander among peace
Blue and affectionate country...
S. Yesenin
And botanists are developing more and more new, even more spectacular, varieties of oleander.
But can beauty be given for nothing? This is one of the most poisonous plants on earth. And, before you buy a beautiful oleander in a flower shop, you should get to know it better...
Dangerous and attractive
So, let's find out what is bad and what is good about oleander, where you should not grow this luxurious shrub, and where it will be appropriate.
Carefully:
- As mentioned above, oleander is poisonous, and its poison can be deadly. That is why it is strictly not recommended to place oleander in children's and medical institutions, as well as in those homes where there are small children and animals. Poison is found in all parts of the plant!
[!] Because of the oleander, the army of Alexander the Great suffered huge losses during the conquest of Crimea. The soldiers would string the meat onto the twigs of the plant and eat it. Food, saturated with oleander juice, became deadly.
- Inexperienced gardeners should not grow shrubs: if they work carelessly with the plant, there is a risk of poisoning. All manipulations: pruning, replanting, pinching, etc. must be done only with gloves, avoiding contact of juice with the skin and mucous membranes;
- Since indoor oleander can reach quite impressive sizes (up to one and a half meters or more in height), it is more advisable to place it with high ceilings;
- In addition, the plant has a very intense, albeit pleasant, odor. Therefore, it is highly not recommended to grow it in sleeping areas and rest rooms.
As you can see, oleander is not suitable for all lovers of indoor plants, however, this magnificent beauty also has positive qualities:
- Despite its toxicity, oleander is phytoncidoactive. This means that the plant is able to absorb harmful substances and purify the atmosphere. The air of the room in which the oleander grows will always be clean and fresh;
- Those who believe in the energy of plants believe that oleander has the ability to dispel bad thoughts of a person and gives strength and vigor to its owner. There is no place for bad mood, blues, or negative emotions next to this plant. It is even believed that oleander helps to get rid of bad habits: tobacco addiction and alcoholism. And if you put an oleander in the office, the productivity of the team will increase significantly.
This is how ambiguous he is, this southern handsome man.
For those who have made a firm decision to grow oleander, here are some recommendations and tips.
Description, type and varieties of oleander
Oleander (lat. Nerium) is a spreading shrub with narrow, long leaves of a dense structure of a rich green color. Oleander is most valued for its flowering. The flowers are large and bright, colored, depending on the variety, red, white, pink or yellow.
The origin of the name is not exactly known. According to one theory, the plant is named after the Latin word olea (olive); according to another, it is a combination of two Greek words.
The homeland of oleander is the islands of Greece, Türkiye, Southern Europe. Now oleander is grown in almost all subtropical regions; in Russia it can be seen on the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus. Under natural conditions, the beautifully flowering shrub prefers to settle on the banks of rivers, including dry ones, or near other bodies of water.
In botanical taxonomy, oleander belongs to the genus of the same name, which is monotypic. This means that there is only one species in the genus - the common oleander (lat. Nerium oleander). However, despite this, breeders have developed a large number of very diverse varieties, differing, as a rule, in the color and shape of the flowers.
Light pink:
- "Kewpie" - five-petaled flowers of a delicate creamy pink color;
- "Double Peach" - light coral double flowers;
- 'Martha Hanna Henslee' has light pink flowers with darker veining and a wavy edge.
O. "Kewpie", O. "Double Peach", O. "Martha Hanna Henslee" Hot pink:
- "Antoine" (Anthony) - pink petals with a pointed tip and purple-red veins;
- "General Pershing" (General Pershing) - a double flower of deep pink color, some petals are decorated with a white pattern;
- “Italia” (Italy) - petals, with edges curled inwards, of a bright red-pink color.
O. "Antoine", O. "General Pershing", O. "Italia" - "Hardy White" (Hardy White) - simple five-petaled white flowers;
- "Sister Agnes" (Sister Agnes) - snow-white petals with a wavy edge;
- "Album Plenum" (Album Plenum) - large white double flowers with a light yellow center.
O. "Hardy White", O. "Sister Agnes", O. "Album Plenum" Orange-peach:
- "Sherrie Allen Turner" (Sherrie Allen Turner) - delicate carrot petals with a darker center;
- "Angiolo Pucci" (Angelo Pucci) - graceful flowers of pale yellow-orange color with a bright orange center;
- "Mrs Roeding" (Mrs. Roeding) - lush double flowers of a uniform light salmon color.
O. "Sherrie Allen Turner", O. "Angiolo Pucci", O. "Mrs Roeding" - "Blue Blanc Red D" (Blue Blanc Red Di) - reddish-pink petals with a bright white pattern along the central vein;
- "Cherry Ripe" - simple five-petal amaranth-colored flowers with a white pistil;
- "Rubis" (Rubis) - densely double, uniformly colored red flowers.
O. "Blue Blanc Red D", O. "Cherry Ripe", O. "Rubis" - "Maria Gambetta" (Maria Gambetta) - elongated narrow petals of lemon color with a darker center;
- "Luteum Plenum" (Luteum Plenum) - delicate white-yellow double flowers;
- "Mathilde Ferrier" (Matilde Ferrier) - petals with grooved edges and a sharp tip of a light saffron yellow color.
O. "Maria Gambetta", O. "Luteum Plenum", O. "Mathilde Ferrier" This is only a small part of the collection of oleander varieties. In fact, there are many more of them and more and more appear every year.
Growing and caring for oleander at home
Oleander cannot be classified as too capricious house plants, but there are still some subtleties in caring for the southern flower. This includes organizing a dormant period, proper pruning, and error-free watering. But first things first.
Temperature and rest period
In nature, oleander grows in regions with a subtropical climate: hot summers and cool (5-10 °C) winters. That is why the change of seasons is important for oleander, and the task of the gardener is to organize this cycle.
In summer, the plant can be kept at room temperature 23-27 °C. In autumn, as is the case in nature, the temperature should drop. In winter there comes a period of rest, so the optimal range at this time is 10-12 °C. The minimum temperature at which a southern guest can overwinter is 5 °C.
How to organize all this in a city apartment or house in the temperate latitudes of Russia? We, as a rule, have warm summers, so in July-August the oleander can be taken out into the fresh air, and in the fall, when it gets colder, it can be brought into a closed, cool room and, during the winter, the oleander can be left there. Such a winter room can be a glazed loggia or veranda at home, a hall or office lobby. As a last resort, the plant can be left for the winter in a warm room, but the flowering of such an oleander will be much less lush.
Watering, air humidity and lighting
Just like temperature, the frequency and intensity of watering varies depending on the time of year. In addition, do not forget that in nature oleanders prefer places with high groundwater levels, and therefore there should be enough moisture at home.
Summer watering of the oleander should be plentiful: it should be watered immediately after the top layer of the substrate has dried a little. In autumn, watering is gradually reduced. During the winter months, the shrub requires quite a bit of moisture; the frequency of watering at this time is 1-2 times a week.
To prevent the roots of the plant from getting too cold, use water at room temperature for watering. It is also important to pre-settle the water - excess calcium salts in tap water can harm the delicate oleander.
High air humidity is a fairly serious parameter for growing oleander. A tray with wet pebbles or frequent spraying of the plant leaves will help maintain the necessary humidity.
In the hot subtropics, in the homeland of the southern guest, the sun shines almost all year round. When growing oleander at home, you need to provide the plant with the same intense insolation. The best location would be windows facing south, southeast and southwest. Moreover, bright sunlight is required both in summer and winter.
[!] Due to lack of light, indoor oleander often loses its decorative effect - it stretches out, becomes bald, and blooms sparingly.
If there are no southern windows in the apartment, you can additionally illuminate the plant with phytolamps.
Unlike many other plants, oleander is not afraid of drafts and ventilation; moreover, fresh air is vital for flowering shrubs.
Trimming
In order for the oleander to bloom luxuriantly and bush, it is necessary to prune once a year.
Regarding the timing of pruning, the opinions of Russian flower growers are divided. Some argue that shrubs need to be trimmed in early spring, before the plant awakens. Others talk about autumn pruning, carried out before the dormant period. Both are right - it’s all about the wintering conditions of the oleander. If the shrub spends the winter in a warm room, the best time to form a crown is February-March. Otherwise, the plant will begin to grow actively. If the oleander overwinters in a cool room, you can prune it in the fall.
To form a shrub, oleander branches are cut by half or one third. Subsequently, the pruned shoots begin to branch well, and flowering buds form at their ends. Therefore, the more young branches the oleander has, the more magnificent the flowering will be.
[!] When pruning, be sure to use rubber gloves, and after the procedure, wash all tools thoroughly. Dispose of cut shoots so that animals and children cannot reach them.
Soil, replanting and fertilizing
For planting oleander, nutritious and at the same time sufficiently water- and breathable soil with low acidity is best suited. You can use a purchased universal substrate, adding a little sand to it, or you can prepare the soil mixture yourself by taking two parts of turf soil and one part each of leaf soil, peat and sand.
Replanting is carried out once a year for young plants and once every two to three years for older specimens. The best time to transplant oleander is early spring, before the active growth of the bush. As an alternative to a full transplant, you can get by with more gentle methods: transshipment or renewal of the top layer of soil. To avoid bottom rotting of the roots, do not forget about a sufficient drainage layer - at least a quarter of the total volume of the dishes.
[!] For that. In order for the oleander to bloom magnificently, always plant it in a fairly tight container (1-2 cm larger than the earthen clod). If the volume of soil is too large, rapid growth of green mass will begin to the detriment of flowering.
The best fertilizer for oleander is fertilizer for beautifully flowering plants, such as Bona Forte “For ornamental flowering plants”, Pokon “For flowering plants” and the like. And the optimal time for feeding is from early spring to mid-summer. In autumn and winter, during the dormant period, the oleander is not fertilized.
Oleander propagation
Oleander can be propagated in several ways:
- cuttings,
- seeds,
- air layering.
Let's look at the simplest and most popular of them.
Propagation of oleander by cuttings, perhaps the most basic method, accessible to both beginners and experienced gardeners.
For rooting, the middle cutting is cut off (the apical, non-lignified ones are too tender and are more likely to die) with several buds. Then the cutting is placed in water for about an hour, after which it is dried for 10-15 minutes and planted. The optimal soil for planting cuttings is a mixture of peat and sand; in addition, it is not forbidden to use vermiculite. Root growth can be accelerated by dipping the shoot in a root formation stimulator before planting.
The container with the planted cuttings should be covered with transparent film, a jar or plastic bottle and moved to a warm and bright place. The plant needs to be ventilated approximately once a day and also watered from time to time.
Propagation by seeds- a more complex method. The fact is that the germination rate of oleander seeds is not very high, and not all seeds germinate.
For planting, as a rule, several, always fresh, seeds are taken at once. Before planting, they are soaked for a day in warm water or a solution of water with growth regulators. Then the seeds are laid out on the surface of the peat-sand mixture and sprinkled with the same substrate on top. You cannot bury the seeds too deeply - they will not sprout.
The container with the seeds is moved to a very warm and bright place, the soil is slightly moistened and the first shoots are waited for. Typically, oleander seeds produce their first sprouts two to three weeks after planting. When the seedlings are sufficiently strong and a second pair of full-fledged leaves appears, the seedlings can be planted in a regular substrate, and subsequently cared for as an adult plant.
Reproduction by air layering- too labor-intensive and complex method, suitable only for the most experienced gardeners.
Pests, diseases and growing problems
In addition to common plant diseases caused by improper care (various rots, spots, burns), there is a disease unique to oleander - oleander cancer. The cause of the disease is the phytopathogenic bacteria Pseudomonas savastanoi pv. nerii, and its main symptom is ugly dark growths on all parts of the oleander. When oleander cancer develops, diseased flowers and leaves usually fall off, affected branches break, and as a result the plant may die.
To date, there are no drugs that completely destroy Pseudomonas. And only preventive measures can prevent this terrible disease:
- processing of tools after trimming,
- timely removal of infected flowers, leaves and shoots.
Leaves fall on the oleander. Almost all plants, even evergreens, renew their green cover every three to four years. If leaf fall is observed in an adult oleander, there is no need to worry - this is a natural process. After some time, new young leaves will grow. When a young plant drops its leaves, it is a symptom of lack of light. What to do: move the bush to a more illuminated place.
The tips of the leaves dry out. The probable cause is dry air. What to do: increase air humidity using the methods suggested above.
Leaves and shoots lose turgor, become lethargic, and the leaf blade turns yellow. More likely. The plant was affected by root rot. What to do: remove the oleander from the pot, carefully examine the roots. If there are rotten areas, trim the root to healthy tissue, completely change the substrate and replant.
Oleander does not bloom. This problem can arise due to several factors: too warm wintering, lack of lighting and moisture, improper pruning or lack thereof. What to do: completely eliminate all of the above circumstances.
Dark needles on young shoots. This is a structural feature of the oleander, which inexperienced gardeners sometimes confuse with insect pests.
Once upon a time, in ancient times, a volcano awoke on a southern island. The sky darkened with ash, hot lava flowed through the streets of the city, and stones fell from the sky, killing all living things. Neither people nor animals could escape - their path was blocked by a large lake. And then the son of the gods, Oleander, decided to help the unfortunate people. He drank up the lake and cleared the way. The people escaped, but Oleander died under the lava, unable to move. In honor of the heroic deed of the brave young man, a wonderful shrub growing on the shores of deep lakes was named...
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