Nerium

Oleander ( Nerium oleander)

The oleander ( Nerium oleander), also known as rose laurel, is the only species of the genus Nerium within the family of the dogbane family ( Apocynaceae ). All plant parts are poisonous.

Description

The Oleander is an evergreen woody plant. The normally three, quirky, road arranged leaves are leathery, dark green and lanceolate with a length of 6 to 10 cm.

The flowering period extends from mid-June into it until September. Several flowers are borne in a trugdoldigen inflorescence. The hermaphrodite flowers are fünfzählig. The petals are are, depending on variety and growing, white, yellow or pink to purple in different shades.

Origin

Oleander has a large distribution area in a strip of Morocco (here up to altitudes of 2000 meters) and southern Spain throughout the Mediterranean region, the Middle East, India and China. The previously held view at the Asian wild forms if it were a separate species ( Nerium indicum ) is not confirmed because of the too small differences in phenotype today.

System

The genus Nerium is usually considered monotypic, the only way is Nerium oleander. Less often more than one type belongs to the genus.

Oleander as a garden plant

In the bucket attitude is to pay attention to a good watering and fertilization in the warm season. In winter, the Oleander should be cool (5-10 ° C is ideal) to be kept, a winter in heated living space is to be avoided because of the risk of heavy spider mite infestation and etiolation.

Oleander is usually kept as a container plant in Central Europe, as there are among the approximately 160 varieties some of which with winter protection (eg fleece) are quite well auspflanzfähig in most areas of Germany.

The following varieties survived in field trials -10 ° C practically harmless: ' Nerium villa romaine ', ' Nerium atlas ', ' Nerium italia ', ' Nerium cavalaire '. At temperatures below first single leaves begin to die. Below about -15 ° C most of the leaves die off, from about -18 ° C also increased the stem wood. Even after temperatures below -20 ° C and utter death, however, the above-ground plants can re- sprout again in the spring.

Toxicity

Oleander contains the toxic glycoside oleandrin and therefore includes its effects.

Etymology

The name comes from the two words Oleander olea for oil and andreios for strong, powerful from. The genus name derives from the Latin word Nerium nerium for wet one, and, thus, indicates the preferred natural habitat of this plant in valleys of rivers ( similar to many willow species) out.