Outdoor oleander is a flowering shrub.

Its large inflorescences come in different colors. In warm climatic zones, the plant is placed in the garden and in any climate it can be grown at home.

Caring for an oleander flower is not difficult, but due to the size of the plant and its thermophilicity, it is necessary to follow some rules for keeping an evergreen shrub.

This plant as an ornamental is widespread in the Mediterranean and Southeast Asia.

As you can see in the photo, oleander attracts attention with its flowers of various shapes and colors.

In addition to the spectacular appearance, the shrub has a pleasant aroma. The leaves of the plant are fleshy, dense, elongated, often located on brownish shoots. If you do not pay due attention to the lower sections of the stems, they are exposed, and the shrub begins to grow rapidly.

When caring for an oleander, it is necessary to prune it regularly in order to limit the growth of the flower, to form a compact and aesthetic crown. Although the oleander tends to grow, flower growers find the plant picky and find it easy to care for.

Mystics claim that oleander is able to influence a person's lifestyle, that the plant stimulates working capacity, gives a person greater purposefulness, awakens in him the desire to give up bad habits.

Those who are engaged in spiritual practices believe that this plant, being indoors, cleanses it of negativity and contributes to the establishment of a friendly, non-conflict environment.

If you have had a chance to relax in subtropical regions, you have probably seen a luxuriously blooming oleander - a representative of the kutrov family. Plants of this family have one feature: they secrete milky juice - latex or toxic substances, like oleander.

Very often you can find an oleander in Yalta. In the open field, it is also grown in the Caucasus in coastal areas. To the north, the shrub grows in greenhouse plantings or in houses as a houseplant. There is a single cultivated variety of shrub - common oleander. The people call the plant downy, scarecrow, laurel rose, leander.

The traditional name of Greek origin: "oleo" means "olive", "andros" - a man. According to legend, Oleander was the name of a Greek youth who, by sacrificing himself, saved his people during a volcanic eruption, after which the plant was named.

Oleander is not so harmless. Although the shrub is very decorative and smells good, it is not without properties that are dangerous to humans, known since ancient times. In the 19th century, a poisonous substance was identified that makes the leaves, stems and foliage of the oleander toxic - the glycoside oleandrin.

The pharmaceutical industry rationally uses it, releasing preparations containing this substance that stimulate the heart.

In the Middle Ages, the commoners of the Mediterranean used homemade powder from the bark of a plant to protect themselves from rats. An alcoholic tincture of the plant was used for lotions when bitten by snakes.

Types of oleander with a photo

There are three types of oleander:

1. ordinary,
2. fragrant and
3. Indian.

The first has many varieties with flowers of various colors. In classic varieties, the color is red, white, pink and yellow, in hybrid varieties snow-white and raspberry are found.

Indian and fragrant species are not so diverse in varieties, but are also very interesting.

The first blooms from early summer to October, blooming large, pleasantly smelling bright flowers of red, yellow, white or pink color.

The second is not so high - it reaches a maximum of 50 cm in height, but exudes a great aroma.

Growing oleander at home, photo, video

This shrub is unpretentious. Oleander at home can be grown even by a beginner grower.

For good growth and abundant flowering, the plant needs to provide good lighting. The windows in the southeastern part of the dwelling are suitable for him. When placing the plant on the north side or deep indoors, it is desirable to surround it with intense artificial lighting.

On summer days, the oleander is best taken out onto the balcony or outside. It must be placed so that direct sunlight does not fall on the plant and rain does not fall. In winter, the flower needs additional lighting with fluorescent lamps. It is very important that its daylight hours be at least eight hours, so that the lamps are at a distance of at least 70 cm from the bush.

The best conditions for oleander

The plant prefers moist air, organic-rich soil and stable air temperature. When caring for him at home, you need to follow some rules.

Care rules

Transplanting and pruning oleander

Once you have acquired the plant, transplant it from peat to a mineral-rich substrate, which can be a humus-clay mixture or a mixture of peat and garden soil with the addition of manure.

A young shrub should be transplanted every spring, grown up - once in a year or two. To transplant an oleander correctly, you need to follow the rules.

Transplant rules

For abundant flowering, the oleander must be cut regularly, as already mentioned above. Pruning is done after the shrub has faded, removing the branches by half their length.

It is recommended to completely cut off the weak shoots of the flower every year to make room for new healthy ones and to avoid exposing the bush from below. Withered petals must be cut off with care so as not to damage the inflorescences that can produce new flowers.

Problems in growing oleander

Flower cuttings

Oleander is propagated by cuttings in spring and autumn. Shoots about 15 cm long are cut from the oleander.

To root them, you can use the cuttings that remained after pruning the plant. The cut sections must be sprinkled with charcoal powder, after which the cuttings should be placed in a soil composed of sand, charcoal and.

The container with cuttings should be placed in a well-lit room, where the temperature is always stable.

In order to avoid rotting of the cuttings, water the oleander plant should be moderate. As a rule, after a month, the shoots take root, and they can be transplanted into a soil consisting of sand, turf and peat soil with the addition of humus. The components of such a mixture are taken in equal proportions.

Reproduction by seeds

Shrub seeds do not germinate well. For this reason, it is best to sow them as soon as possible after harvest. Before planting, they should be soaked in fungicidal or manganese solution for half an hour. Next, they need to be kept in solution for an hour. Zircon.

It is necessary to sow oleander seeds superficially in the same soil mixture in which the mother plant is located. In the room where the seeds germinate, the temperature should be maintained in the range of 30-35C.

At lower temperatures, the seeds may rot or fail to germinate for a long time. If the conditions for germination are favorable, seedlings appear 10-12 days after planting.

How to care for seedlings?

They need to be additionally illuminated with artificial light. It is necessary to ventilate the room where they are. It is very important to ensure optimal temperature conditions, high air humidity, and gradually adapt shoots with three leaves to standard growing conditions.

When 4-5 true leaves appear on the bush, young flower sprouts need to be planted in separate bowls. Growing and propagating oleander at home is absolutely not difficult.

If you properly care for it, then an unpretentious plant will delight its patrons with luxurious and bright flowering for a long time.

How to deal with diseases and pests of oleander

The shrub is susceptible to infection by bacterial infections and fungus.

He might get sick oleander crayfish, which is manifested by the presence of light spots on the foliage, and then dark growths. Affected parts of the plant should be removed.

Aphids and spider mites also do not disregard this shrub.

When scale insects you need to remove the plaque manually and wipe the leaves with a cloth or sponge soaked in vodka.

Mealybug- another enemy of the oleander, which is removed manually.

As a preventive measure against pests, you can spray the oleander with water. Washing the plant in the shower prevents the plant from being damaged by ailments and insects.

Useful properties of a decorative flower

Oleander is a poisonous shrub, but it is known that in microdoses, toxic substances produce a healing effect.

Oleandrin- an extract from a plant is used in:

• cardiology,
• veterinary and
• as a remedy in folk medicine.

This substance was included in cornerin and neriolin.

Tinctures and lotions are made from oleander. They are treated:

• migraine, insomnia, neuroses,
• tachycardia,
• skin diseases, for example, furunculosis and lichen.

To remove acute heart failure in pets, animals, to activate their intestinal motility, veterinarians use alcohol extract from shrub foliage at a dosage corresponding to the weight of the animal.

The appearance of the oleander is impressive, so it is widely exploited by landscape designers, including in group plantings and tapeworms.

Oleander decorate open terraces, balconies, loggias, winter gardens. Since the 17th century, it has been customary in Europe to decorate the interior of a dwelling with this shrub, and today office space.

Since the blooming oleander gives the illusion that summer is on, growing the plant at home can help you deal with the seasonal blues.

Buy an oleander, place it at home, and with proper care, you will be able to get a luxurious living decoration for your interior.

Oleander poisoning closely resembles digoxin and includes mainly gastrointestinal and cardiac symptoms. Nausea and vomiting usually develop after a few hours. Of particular danger is cardiotoxicity, leading to ventricular ectopia and cardiovascular collapse.

Conduction disturbances may last 3–6 days, giving the classic picture of digitalis poisoning characterized by increased ectopia and delayed conduction (eg, supraventricular tachycardia with atrioventricular block). In one case of suicide by ingestion of oleander, a 96-year-old woman weighing 40 kg had a cardiac arrest shortly after being taken to the emergency room.

Cardiomonitoring revealed ventricular ectopia, including ventricular tachycardia and fibrillation, unresponsive to standard therapies recommended by the American Heart Association intensive cardiac maintenance guidelines. On admission, the patient's potassium level in her body was 8.6 mEq/L. A 30-year-old woman 10 hours after drinking an oleander infusion ("tea") was brought to the clinic with cardiogenic shock and idioventricular rhythm. She died after 1 hour of unsuccessful resuscitation. The potassium level was 6.6 meq/l.

but) Laboratory data of oleander poisoning. To confirm the intake of glycosides (Nerium oleander), Peruvian tevetia (Thevetia peruviana), small-fruited Adonis (Adonis microcarpa) and Aga toad (Bufo marinus), the Abbott TDx Digoxin II express method has been developed. In the serum of a 17-year-old boy with suspected ingestion of an oleander leaf (clinical condition and normal ECG), the apparent concentration of digoxin was 0.45 and 0.14 µg/L when measured by radioimmunoassay and TDx methods, respectively.

In many asymptomatic patients with suspected consumption of Peruvian tevetia, the apparent serum concentration of digoxin varied between 0.5-1.2 µg/L. A 5-year-old child, having swallowed tevetia seeds, did not complain about anything for 1 day, and then he developed severe vomiting, bradycardia, and electrocardiographic anomalies that lasted 4 days. This patient has recovered. The apparent level of digoxin in his serum 50 hours after consumption of tevetia was 1.5 µg/L. The child, by the age of 2.5 years, died 16 hours after the ingestion of seeds of this species. At autopsy, his apparent digoxin level was 11.0 µg/L. Symptoms appeared only 4-5 hours after consumption of tevetia.

A 37-year-old man swallowed a "handful" of oleander leaves (probably common), after which he developed bradycardia, the activity of the sinus node stopped and an atrioventricular extrasystole appeared. He received a single dose of 5 vials (200 mg) of digoxin-specific antibody fragments. Before their introduction, the level of digoxin was 1.5 ng/ml. After treatment, the rhythm stabilized with residual bradycardia. The patient recovered.

b) Treatment of oleander poisoning. Treatment is mostly supportive. Gastric lavage, fluid resuscitation, atropine, isoproterenol, antiarrhythmics, and early administration of activated charcoal may be helpful. Hemodynamic decompensation sometimes requires the temporary use of a pacemaker and the administration of digoxin-specific antibody fragments as an antidote. Their intravenous doses of 200 and 480 mg helped with life-threatening oleander intoxication.

The oleander plant is a small perennial shrub. The flower is often found in residential and office spaces. It is valued for its beautiful flowering appearance. However, a person is rarely interested in whether the oleander is poisonous or not? Is the plant really dangerous for humans and animals?

About the plant

What is an oleander? Oleander is a beautiful perennial plant. In favorable conditions, it can grow to the size of an adult tree, but in most cases it looks like a small shrub.

The leaves of the plant are dense, saturated green, located on brown shoots. In the absence of proper care in the lower part, the leaves fall off, and the bush grows rapidly.

The shrub is undemanding in care, loves bright light and moist soil. If the rules are not followed, it often drops leaves. Found in the Mediterranean.

Flowering begins in June and ends in October. The flowers come in different colors and shades, the smell of oleander is pleasant.

There are three types of plants - ordinary, fragrant and Indian. The first type has many varieties and colors - there is a flower white, yellow, red, pink. Oleander yellow is an attractive shrub that blooms from spring to autumn. The flowers are like bells, the seeds are collected in a box. From one seed, two plants can appear at once.

The Indian species of oleander has large flowers of different colors. The fragrant shrub does not grow large, but has beautiful flowers and a wonderful smell. At home, the shrub grows well, requires only a voluminous pot.

Is oleander poisonous or not? The shrub is a toxic plant. All parts of it are poisonous, including the roots. The flower contains oleandrin and ineriin. When such substances enter the body, intoxication develops. What causes the development of an overdose?

Causes:

• Accidental consumption of parts of the plant in food, children and pets are most often affected.
• Non-compliance with safety rules when caring for the oleander, lack of gloves, poor-quality cleaning of hands after finishing work with the plant.

It is dangerous to leave a blooming oleander in a small area. Flowers emit an odor that can provoke a headache, dizziness, impaired consciousness, problems with visual functions.

Even after eating a couple of leaves of a bush, it is possible to get quite serious poisoning.

Symptoms and signs of plant poisoning

How does poisoning with toxic substances from oleander manifest itself? If a similar plant is present in the house, it is recommended to know the first symptoms of intoxication. This will help the victim get help faster.

Symptoms:

1. There is an intense feeling of nausea, often ending in severe vomiting.
2. The pulse and heartbeat becomes slow.
3. The respiratory process is disturbed, shortness of breath appears.
4. There are failures in the mind of the victim, delirium and hallucinations may occur.
5. There is a significant deterioration in auditory and visual functions.

Severe poisoning is often diagnosed in children and animals. A small body is not able to fully fight the negative effects of toxins. If the condition of the victim worsens, it is required to call a medical worker and not engage in self-treatment.

First aid and further treatment

If you find signs of poisoning with poisonous oleander, you need to call a doctor. Before it appears, the victim is given first aid to remove the toxin from the body.

Actions:

• First of all, . For a similar purpose, they take clean water in a large volume, add crushed activated carbon, it is permissible to prepare a weak solution of potassium permanganate. The resulting solution is washed with the affected stomach until the outgoing waters are completely clean.
• After cleaning, the patient is given to take - means that help speed up the removal of the toxin.
• In the remaining time before the appearance of a medical worker, a person is given to drink a large amount of water in order to reduce the toxic effect of substances that have got inside.

If poisoning develops in allergic people, then the development of Quincke's edema is not excluded. In such a case, it is required to quickly give the victim antihistamines. If oleander poison gets on the skin, they are thoroughly washed with cool water. Further treatment is carried out by a doctor in a medical setting. The necessary medicines are selected, the required procedures are carried out.

What are the health benefits of oleander?

The oleander plant is poisonous, but it can also be useful. Parts of the plant are used in the medical field for the manufacture of medicines used in diseases of the cardiovascular system. Dried flowers are used for topical treatment.

Preparations with oleander extracts in the composition are prescribed for tachyarrhythmia, angina pectoris, intense headaches, and sleep disturbance. An infusion of the leaves of the shrub is used for weeping forms of eczema, it helps well to cope with toothache.

Can you keep it at home? Oleander has bactericidal properties, so in a room with a flower, the air will be cleaned of harmful microorganisms. E. coli and staphylococci are destroyed indoors.

It is believed that the flower has a strong energy, so it is recommended to place it in rooms where important issues are resolved.

How to prevent intoxication

How to avoid oleander poisoning? Compliance with simple safety rules will help prevent the occurrence of intoxication.

Rules:

1. The plant is located in places inaccessible to small children and pets.
2. It is required to carry out any manipulations with the shrub with rubber gloves; after all procedures, hands are thoroughly washed with soap and water.
3. It is not recommended to place a container with vegetation in rooms with a small area and poor ventilation.

The oleander plant is a beautiful but poisonous plant that can harm people and animals. Subject to safety precautions, the flower will not harm people. If there is an oleander in the house and someone has suspicious symptoms, then you need to quickly contact a medical facility.

Video: more about the flower

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In nature, there is always a chance to stumble upon a poisonous plant. And if adults are likely to just walk by, then curious children who are eager to taste everything may suffer.

website recalls: many very dangerous plant species are grown as ornamentals and can be seen not only in the forest, but also on window sills and flower beds. Therefore, in the city, too, it is worth being vigilant.

Where does it meet: In the temperate zone of the Northern Hemisphere; prefers damp places, swamps.

There are several types of buttercups, many of them are poisonous.

Where does it meet: In Europe, Asia and North America. It grows in very damp places, in swamps and river banks.

Deceptively smells like carrots, but this is one of the most poisonous plants on Earth. Only a botanist can distinguish it from dozens of other umbrella species. It's better to just not tear plants that look like milestones and grow in damp places.

What is dangerous: In case of poisoning, vomiting, convulsions, depression of cardiac activity occur, and death may occur. Only 100–200 g of milestone rhizome will easily kill a cow.

Where does it meet: Temperate Northern Hemisphere, Australia.

The most common representatives are red and black elderberry. All parts of the plant are poisonous, and if you've just touched an elder, it's best to wash your hands. Interestingly, black berries are completely safe when ripe, they are used to make drinks and pies.

Where does it meet: In tropical and subtropical regions. Used in landscaping, it is grown as an indoor flower all over the world.

A truly insidious plant that attracts with its pleasant aroma and beautiful pink or white flowers.

Where does it meet: In Europe, Asia and North America. Because of the beautiful purple, blue and yellowish flowers, it is grown in flower beds. It is a tall and conspicuous plant.

In the ancient world, it was used to poison arrows. Even bees can get poisoned if they collect honey from aconite. By the way, the delphinium is its close relative, and it is also poisonous.

What is dangerous: A VERY poisonous plant. Causes abnormal heart rhythm, numbness of the skin of the face, arms and legs, darkening of the eyes and death. Juice penetrates even through the skin.

Where does it meet: In North and Central America, Europe, southern regions of Russia.

Datura resembles a potato or a tomato, which is not surprising, because it is their close relative. This is an inconspicuous plant with thorny fruits-boxes with black seeds inside. Its white flowers emit an intoxicating scent.

What is dangerous: Contains alkaloids that cause palpitations, disorientation and delirium. In severe cases, death or coma is possible. Shamans of many nations used this plant in their rituals.

Where does it meet: In the temperate regions of Eurasia, one species exists in the USA.

Just a giant among the umbrellas, which looks quite impressive, but it is better not to take pictures next to it.

What is dangerous: Some species contain furanocoumarins, which cause painful burns when exposed to sunlight. Therefore, if hogweed juice gets on your hand, wash it and protect it from sunlight for about two days.

Where does it meet: Everywhere. It can often be seen on window sills, including in children's institutions.

Euphorbia includes a huge number of species, often they are very different in appearance: some look like cacti, others look like flowers. Teach children not to touch unfamiliar plants, even if they are in pots.

What is dangerous: Juice leaves burns. Later, malaise, swelling and fever join.

Oleander - the beauty of this plant is indisputable: as if terry roses strewn a tender tree. Poets, writers, artists throughout the ages have sung about the splendor of bright colors:

Cold gold of the moon
The smell of oleander and levkoy.
It's good to wander among peace
Blue and affectionate country ...
S. Yesenin

And botanists are deducing more and more new, even more spectacular, varieties of oleander.

But how can beauty be given as a gift? 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 him better ...

Dangerous and attractive

So, let's find out what is bad and what is good about oleander, where this luxurious shrub should not be grown, and where it will be in place.

Carefully:

• As mentioned above, oleander is poisonous, and its poison can be deadly. That is why it is strongly not recommended to place the oleander in children's and medical institutions, as well as in those houses where there are small children and animals. The 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 the Crimea. The soldiers strung the meat on the twigs of the plant and ate it. Food, soaked in oleander juice, has become deadly.

• It is not necessary to start a shrub for inexperienced flower growers: if you carelessly work with a plant, there is a risk of poisoning. All manipulations: pruning, transplanting, pinching, and the like, must be done only with gloves, avoiding the juice getting on 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 expedient to place it with high ceilings;
• In addition, the plant has a very intense, albeit pleasant, smell. Therefore, it is highly recommended not to grow it in bedrooms and rest rooms.

As you can see, oleander is not suitable for all lovers of indoor plants, however, this magnificent handsome man also has positive qualities:

• Despite its toxicity, oleander is volatile. 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 the oleander has the ability to dispel the evil thoughts of a person and gives strength and vigor to its owner. Next to this plant there is no place for a bad mood, blues, negative emotions. 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 efficiency of the team will increase significantly.

Here he is so ambiguous, this southern handsome man.

For those who have made a firm decision to grow oleander, a few recommendations and tips.

Description, type and varieties of oleander

Oleander (lat. Nerium) is a sprawling shrub with narrow, long leaves of a dense structure of rich green color. Most of all, oleander is valued for its flowering. Flowers are large and bright, colored, depending on the variety, in red, white, pink or yellow.

The origin of the name is not exactly known. According to one theory, the plant is named in tune with the Latin word olea (olive), according to another, it is a combination of two Greek words.

The homeland of the oleander is the islands of Greece, Turkey, Southern Europe. Now the 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, a flowering shrub prefers to settle on the banks of rivers, including dry ones, or near other bodies of water.

In botanical systematics, 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 bred a large number of a wide variety of varieties, differing, as a rule, in color and shape of flowers.

Light pink:

• "Kewpie" (Kivpi) - five-petal flowers of a delicate creamy pink color;
• "Double Peach" (Double Peach) - light coral terry flowers;
• "Martha Hanna Henslee" (Martha Hanna Hensley) - light pink flowers with darker veins 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 deep pink double flower, some petals are decorated with a white pattern;
• "Italia" (Italy) - petals, with edges twisted inward, bright red-pink color.

O. "Antoine", O. "General Pershing", O. "Italia"

• "Hardy White" (Hardy White) - simple five-petal white flowers;
• "Sister Agnes" (Sisters 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) - soft carrot petals with a darker center;
• "Angiolo Pucci" (Angelo Pucci) - graceful flowers of pale yellow-orange color with a bright orange core;
• "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" (Sherri Ripe) - simple five-petal amaranth 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 lemon-colored petals with a darker center;
• "Luteum Plenum" (Luteum Plenum) - delicate white-yellow double flowers;
• "Mathilde Ferrier" (Mathilde Ferrier) - petals with corrugated edges and a sharp tip of light saffron yellow.

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 every year more and more new ones appear.

Growing and caring for oleander at home

Oleander cannot be attributed to too capricious house plants, but there are still some subtleties of caring for the southern flower. This is the organization of the dormant period, and the correct 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 the oleander, and the task of the grower is to organize this cycle.

In summer, the plant can be kept at room temperature 23-27 ° C. In autumn, as it is in nature, the temperature should drop. In winter, a dormant period begins, 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 the conditions of a city apartment or a house in the temperate latitudes of Russia? As a rule, we 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, brought into a closed, cool room and, during the winter, leave the oleander there. Such a winter room can be a glazed loggia or veranda of a house, a hall or an office lobby. In the most extreme case, 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, humidity and lighting

Just like the 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 a high level of groundwater, and therefore at home there should be enough moisture.

Summer watering of the oleander should be plentiful: you need to water immediately after the top layer of the substrate dries out a little. In autumn, watering is gradually reduced. In the winter months, the shrub requires quite little moisture, the frequency of watering at this time is 1-2 times a week.

So that the roots of the plant do not get supercooled, they take water at room temperature for irrigation. It is also important to pre-defend the water - an excess of calcium salts in tap water can harm the delicate oleander.

High humidity is a serious enough parameter for growing oleander. A tray of wet pebbles or frequent spraying of the leaves of the plant will help maintain the necessary humidity.

In the hot subtropics, in the homeland of the southern guest, the sun shines almost all year round. Growing oleander at home, you need to provide the plant with the same intense insolation. The best location will be the windows of the south, southeast and southwest directions. Moreover, bright sunlight is required both in summer and in winter.

[!] Due to the lack of light, indoor oleander often loses its decorative effect - it stretches, grows bald, blooms poorly.

If there are no southern windows in the apartment, you can additionally highlight the plant with fitolamps.

Unlike many other plants, the oleander is not afraid of drafts and ventilation; moreover, fresh air is vital for flowering shrubs.

pruning

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 were divided. Some argue that it is necessary to cut the bush in early spring, before the plant awakens. Others talk about autumn pruning, carried out before the dormant period. Both of them 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 for crown formation is February-March. Otherwise, the plant will begin to actively grow. If the oleander hibernates in a cool room, you can cut it in the fall.

To form a shrub, oleander branches are cut by half or one third. Subsequently, the cut shoots begin to branch well, and flowering buds form at their ends. Therefore, the more young branches an oleander has, the more lush the flowering will be.

[!] Be sure to use rubber gloves during pruning, and thoroughly wash all tools after the procedure. Dispose of cut shoots so that animals and children do not reach them.

Soil, transplant and top dressing

For planting oleander, a nutritious and at the same time sufficiently water- and breathable soil with low acidity is best suited. You can use a purchased universal substrate by adding a little sand to it, or you can prepare the soil mixture yourself by taking two parts of sod land and one part of leafy soil, peat and sand.

Transplantation 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 in early spring, before active shrub growth. As an alternative to a full-fledged transplant, you can get by in more gentle ways: transshipment or renewal of the topsoil. In order to avoid bottom rotting of the roots, do not forget about a sufficient layer of drainage - at least a quarter of the total volume of dishes.

[!] For that. in order for the oleander to bloom magnificently, always plant it in a fairly close container (1-2 cm more than an earthy coma). If the volume of land is too large, a rapid growth of green mass will begin at the expense of flowering.

The best fertilizer for oleander is fertilizer for flowering plants, such as Bona Forte "For decorative flowering", Pokon "For flowering plants" and the like. And the optimal feeding time is from early spring to mid-summer. In autumn and winter, during the dormant period, the oleander is not fertilized.

Oleander breeding

Oleander can be propagated in several ways:

• cuttings,
• seeds,
• air outlets.

Consider the simplest and most popular of them.

Propagation of oleander by cuttings, perhaps the most elementary method available to both beginners and experienced flower growers.

For rooting, the middle stalk is cut off (the apical, non-dulled ones are too tender and are more likely to die) with several buds. Then the stalk is placed in water for about an hour, after which it is dried for 10-15 minutes and planted. The optimal soil for planting a cutting 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 before planting in a root stimulator.

The dishes with the planted handle should be covered with a transparent film, jar or plastic bottle and transferred to a warm and bright place. Approximately once a day, the plant must be aired, and also, from time to time, watered.

Reproduction by seeds- a more complex way. The fact is that the germination of oleander seeds is not too high, in addition, not all seeds germinate.

For planting, as a rule, they take several, necessarily fresh seeds 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 on top with the same substrate. It is impossible to deepen the seeds strongly - they will not sprout.

The seed container is moved to a very warm and bright place, the soil is slightly moistened and the first shoots are waiting. Oleander seeds usually produce their first sprouts two to three weeks after planting. When the seedlings are strong enough and the second pair of full-fledged leaves appears, the seedlings can be planted in a regular substrate, and then they can be looked after as an adult plant.

Propagation by air layering- too time-consuming and complicated way, suitable only for the most experienced flower growers.

Pests, diseases and growing problems

In addition to common plant diseases caused by improper care (various rot, spotting, burns), there is a disease that is 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. With the development of oleander cancer, diseased flowers and leaves, as a rule, fall off, the affected branches break, as a result, the plant may die.

To date, there are no drugs that completely destroy Pseudomonas. And only preventive measures can prevent this formidable disease:

• processing tools after trimming,
• timely removal of infected flowers, leaves and shoots.

Leaves are falling on the oleander. Almost all, even evergreen, plants renew their green cover every three to four years. If leaf fall is observed in an adult oleander, you should not worry - this is a natural process. After a while, new young leaves will grow. When a young plant sheds leaves, this is a symptom of a lack of lighting. What to do: move the shrub to a more lit place.

The tips of the leaves dry. The likely cause is dry air. What to do: increase the humidity of the air by the methods suggested above.

Leaves and shoots lose turgor, become lethargic, the leaf plate turns yellow. Probably. The plant was affected by root rot. What to do: Remove the oleander from the pot, carefully inspect the roots. If there are rotten areas, cut the root to healthy tissue, completely change the substrate and transplant.

Oleander does not bloom. This problem can occur 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 are sometimes confused with pests.

Once, in ancient times, a volcano woke up on a southern island. The sky darkened with ash, red-hot lava flowed through the streets of the city, and stones fell from the sky, killing all life. 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 the lake and cleared the way. People escaped, and Oleander died under the lava, unable to move. In honor of the feat of the brave young man, they named a wonderful shrub growing on the shores of deep lakes ...