Find essential information about rose bay propagation , pests , and repot for these heat - loving shrubs that produce pink or white peak .
Oleander(Nerium oleander)is a tough shrub that is a stalwart ornamental addition to landscape in warm areas ( it wo n’t tolerate a backbreaking freeze ) . It ’s various and utile as a delimitation , hedge , or screening plant , and a good pick for a potted plant .
Oleander flowers come forth at the tips of staunch for a flush of pink or bloodless . The flowers typically have a single dustup of petal , but some varieties set a double wrangle of flower petal for a estimable show . They stand out against long , narrow , bright green leaves with a short midvein , bring in them remindful ofolive trees .
Credit: Cynthia Haynes
All contribution of the oleander shrub are highly toxic to human , frankfurter , cats , and horses . Unlike some plants that have one toxic compound , oleander has several . Also , be thrifty when pruning oleander because the milky saphead can cause pelt irritation . Even dried plant parts remain toxic .
Where to Plant Oleander
plant life oleander in full sun for the good result . It will grow in fond tone , but the shrub may become gangly . It tolerates most soil type as long as they drain well . Do n’t institute it near field where children and pet play .
Oleander can be used as a live wall or covert , maintained as a specimen bush , or trained as asmall tree .
How and When to Plant Oleander
industrial plant rose bay in other spring while the bush is still dormant or in late summertime or early fall after it cease blooming . Dig a muddle two or three times as wide and exactly as grandiloquent as the nursery container . Amend the grime with compostor organic matter if need for unspoilt drainage . Remove the oleander from its container and spot it so it sit at on the dot the same height in the soil as it did in the container . The base of the main stem should be at dirt level , not below .
occupy the hole halfway with the amended soil and add water supply . waitress a few minutes and fill the golf hole the rest of the room with soil . Keep the leave dry as you water the base of the industrial plant again .
Oleander Care Tips
Once established , oleander requires little sustenance .
Light
Oleander grows fast and can germinate a lanky wont if not aright maintained . One of the best ways to make the slow habit possibleis to plant it in full sunshine , which also encourages the most blossoms . Oleander tolerates part shade , but in those conditions , it requires staking to prevent flopping and needs frequent pruning .
Soil and Water
Oleander is drought - tolerant and does well in poor soil . If the roots bide besotted for long , it is prostrate to rot , soexcellent drain is crucial .
Temperature and Humidity
Although they spring up in warm zones , most oleanders can survive a temperature that set down to freeze for a shortsighted period , but damage to the foliation may occur . nurseryman who know in area where the temperature routinely omit to freeze should move their oleanders indoors for the winter .
Oleander produce best in an median humidity of about 40 percent .
Fertilizer
Oleanders in the landscape do n’t require much plant food . A tiresome - release , balanced granular plant food , such as a 10 - 10 - 10 formulation , can be applied in the spring and again in the fall , following the product ’s instructions .
Oleandersplanted in containersrequire more frequent fertilization . implement the same fertiliser as landscape plants every four weeks during the grow time of year .
Pruning
Oleander shrubs should be cut back in late summer or early drop to give any new growth clip to indurate off before winter temperature arrive . withdraw any diseased , dead or damaged stems , making the needed slice just above a folio thickening to promote branch . define the pruning to no more than one - third of the foliage .
Potting and Repotting Oleander
In many parts of the state , oleander ca n’t come through the winter temperatures . In climate where rose bay is n’t unfearing , it can be planted in container that are moved inside when the conditions become cold . Select a large container with near drain and a small or medium - sized oleander . Fill the container withpotting soilor garden soil amend with compost or other organic topic , and plant the bush so the stalk base is at soil level . body of water the shrub and position it in a sunny spot for the strong month . Although rose bay plant in the garden are drouth - tolerant , those in containers need to be watered on a regular basis and fertilize every two week during the flower menstruation with a granular or liquid balanced fertilizer , follow the merchandise directions .
As winter approaching , move the container into a cool , sheltered area , such as a garage or cellar , where it is protected from stop dead temperatures . curve the plant back by one - third to make it leisurely to negociate . In the spring , move the container back out to the garden gradually , leaving it for a couple of hours the first day and then increasing the time a picayune each day .
Although oleander can be repotted if needed , cutting it back by one - third each yr should keep it a doable size .
Credit: Cynthia Haynes
Pests and Problems
Aphids , spider mites , and scalesare familiar garden plague that sometimes seem on oleander shrub . They can be treat with a strong current of water or an program of insecticidal soap orneem oil .
The Nerium oleander caterpillar is more intriguing to treat . Even through the leaves of oleander bush are highly toxic to most animal , they are a delicious meal for the oleander caterpillar . An infestation may require two or three treatments , preferably with a merchandise containing Bacillus thuringiensis .
How to Propagate Oleander
Oleander propagation can be reach via stem cuttings or seed .
Cuttings : Oleander is easy to propagate withstem cuttings . prefer several 10- to 12 - inch semi - ripe wood cuttings from a plant stem or from material you have pruned off the shrub . Old woody outgrowth does n’t rout well . Make the gash just below a leaf thickening and remove the foliage from the bottom one-half of the cutting off , leave behind a few leaves at the top . Also , murder any prime heads . Dip the bottom of each slip in rooting internal secretion and put it in a pot fill up with estimable - quality potting filth , firming the soil around the root word . pee the mass and cover it and the cutting with a exonerated shaping pocketbook . Keep the pot in a ardent , bright seat , watering as ask to keep the soil moist until the cutting etymon , as evidenced by new growth or resistance to a slight tug on one of the leaves . Remove the plastic pocketbook and move the potentiometer into an area that have partial sunlight to proceed the rooting operation .
Seeds : reap the cum fuel pod of a mature oleander when it bend brown and dry out , but before it come out open and spills its seeds . Fill a diminished pot with wash semen - starting mix and crusade a cum into the planting spiritualist , but do n’t cover it with grease . Cover the pot with fictile wrapper and put it in a warm area at about 68 ° F and undergrow lights . Mist the grease occasionally to keep it moist . sprouting remove a while — one to three month . Remove the plastic wrapper when the seeds sprout . In a few weeks , the source arrangement will be robust , and you may move the seedlings to a larger pot or exterior if you live in a fond area where oleander is hardy .
Credit: Bill Holt
Types of Oleander
‘Pink Beauty’ Oleander
Nerium oleander’Pink Beauty ' cultivar bears large , cleared - pink flowers with small or no aroma . It grows 20 foot marvellous and 12 feet wide and tolerates tripping frosts better than most oleander smorgasbord . zone 9 - 11 .
‘Mrs. Lucille Hutchings’ Oleander
Nerium oleander’Mrs . Lucille Hutchings ' is a large variety with showy , peachy - pink dual bloom . It grows 20 feet improbable and 10 metrical foot wide . Zones 9 - 11 .
‘Hardy Pink’ Oleander
Nerium Nerium oleander ' Hardy Pink ' organise an assailable , upright plant that grows 15 animal foot tall and 10 feet wide with clump ofrose - pink flowersall summer . Zones 9 - 11 .
White Oleander
Nerium oleander’Album ' offerswhite flowersthroughout the summertime on a big flora 18 feet tall and 10 feet wide . Zones 10 - 11 .
‘Tangier’ Oleander
Nerium oleander ' Tangier’produces light pinkish blooms on a big shrub 20 feet magniloquent and 10 metrical foot wide . Zones 10 - 11 .
Frequently Asked Questions
Oleander grow at a temperate charge per unit of 1 to 2 foot a class . Even when the shrub is damage during inhuman weather , it regrows quickly .
Although the efflorescence are lovely , all parts of the works are toxic . When oleander is place in a vase , even the water becomes toxic . It is safer not to practice Nerium oleander in ornamental arrangements .
debate off your Nerium oleander plants so your pets are ineffective to reach them . However , if your pets are know to eat thing they are n’t supposed to , try on planting alternatives to oleander like marigolds or snapdragon .
Credit: Chipper R. Hatter
This plant does not create ambrosia , so it is n’t go to be a favourite of bees or any other pollinator . However , these plants still might trick pollinators into visiting with their strong fragrance and colorful blooms .
Nerium oleander toxic condition . Mount Sinai
Oleander . ASPCA
Credit: Cynthia Haynes
Nerium Nerium oleander . North Carolina State University Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox .
Nerium oleander . North Carolina State University Extension Gardener Toolbox .
Credit: Cynthia Haynes
