One of the plants that you can have in your garden is the oleander nerium. Its maintenance is very easy to respect and in return it offers you a beautiful image with its flowers.
But, do you really know how to take care of the oleander nerium? If you want to have a guide, here we present it to you so that you do not miss anything.
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How is he oleander nerium
This scientific name “hides” what it is commonly called oleander, baladre or oleander. It is native to the Mediterranean region and even China. The reason why it has this name which is more reminiscent of an “olive” is that its leaves are very similar to those of an olive tree, but not its flowers.
This bush can grow up to 4 meters. Its trunk is very smooth, of a color between brown and gray. The branches, however, are usually green or somewhat reddish.
But the most striking thing about this plant are its flowers. From April to October, flowering takes place and you will see that they are born in small bouquets at the end of their branches. These are pink and will measure between 3 and 5 centimeters. In addition, they can be single, semi-double or double.
After the flowers will come the fruit of the oleander. It will look like a pod between 8 and 16 cm and brown in color. Inside will be the seeds which will be covered with fluff.
You should know that The oleander is one of the most poisonous plants that exist. It can cause nausea, vomiting, arrhythmias, cardiac arrest, dizziness and even lead to death. For this reason, it is a plant of which you must be particularly careful since it cannot be ingested.
oleander nerium: most important care
The time has come to focus on caring for oleander nerium so that, if you want to have it in your garden, you can do it and enjoy its flowering and all that it can show you.
Location
As we mentioned earlier, the oleander nerium It is an outdoor plant. Usually, It is full sun to partial shade, because if you place it in the shade, it may not develop in the same way.
Our advice is to put it in full sun as long as the temperatures are not too hot in spring and summer. If so, better in partial shade.
What you need to look for is place it as far as possible from pets and children or the elderlyso that this plant, due to its toxicity, does not affect them or is within their reach.
Temperature
The oleander is one of the plants that best resists the Mediterranean climate because it is native to this region. So you don’t have to worry too much about the heat.
As for the cold, it is resistant to -7 degrees Celsius, temperatures that are very rare to reach in the Mediterranean basin.
Even so, if you live in other colder places, it is recommended, instead of planting it in the garden, to do it in pots. This way, when the temperature drops too much, it can be protected.
Substrate
The truth is, oleander isn’t picky about what soil to use. In reality, with a universal substrate mixed with perlite is enough so that it has good nutrients and grows properly.
Irrigation
Although due to its location it will suffer a lot from the sun, the truth is that its irrigation is rather scarce. In reality, perfectly resistant to drought but it takes a bit in the summer.
In winter, if you live in a area where it rains from time to time you will not have to water it because it is fed by rainwater.
Now, if you have it in a pot, the irrigation changes. Yes, you will have to water summer and winter and several times. The reason for this is that the roots cannot find water on their own because they are limited to the space in the pot.
This watering must be sufficient so that the substrate does not dry out.
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During the summer months you should You pay it every 15 days. Always use mineral fertilizer for this.
Cut
The size is one of the care of the oleander nerium more important. It must be done always after its last flowering, in autumn. The reason for this is that you will make new shoots appear and have several months to bloom again the following year.
Another pruning to perform is training or maintenance. This is to maintain the shape you want it to have as a hedge, so the leaves and branches don’t grow out of this formation.
Plagues and diseases
Although in many places they say the oleander nerium it is resistant to pests, the truth is that it is not. Among those that affect it the most are aphids, spider mites, mealybugs, slugs, caterpillars, snails…
As for the diseases, it is true that they do not usually affect it, but there is one with which we must be careful: the disease of the olive tree, caused by the bacterium Pseudomonas syringaewhich will cause the appearance of tumors and deformities on the plant.
Multiplication
If you want to play your oleander neriumyou can do this in two different ways:
- By cuttings. It is always done in summer although some also apply it in other seasons. But you will have more success during the most active period of the plant. When rooting cuttings, you can put it in water, water and perlite or directly in a universal substrate.
- By seeds. From the fruits of oleander come the seeds. It is advisable to let them dry out and store them in a dark, dry place all winter for planting later in the spring.
- By air layering. It is a technique of oleander nerium horizontally you can do it with this technique which consists of taking one of the lower branches of the plant and, without cutting it or anything, planting it a few centimeters in the ground so that the roots appear.
As you can see, the care of a oleander nerium they are not complicated. So as long as you have it in a place that won’t endanger your loved ones, you can have it.