Oleander

Subtropical plants - royal decoration of gardens and greenhouses, an exquisite zest of the interior of the rooms, if they are grown at home. More of them attract the attention with their delicate aroma and vivid oleander blooms. Care and cultivation of this plant does not require much effort, but in response to your care, the southern flower will present a real aesthetic pleasure.

Mysterious Mediterranean Rose

Oleander is an evergreen shrub with narrow leathery leaves, reaching up to 1.5 m in height. Large aerial inflorescences covering this plant from April to August, differ in a variety of colors - can be:

• white;
• pale pink;
• crimson;
• purple;
• creamy yellow.

The middle name of the oleander is the rose of the Mediterranean. The native land of an amazing flower is a subtropical strip covering the territory from Portugal in the west to South China in the east. Remember: all parts of this plant are poisonous to humans and pets.

How to settle an oleander in your garden?

You will surely be pleased to know such a fact: if you plant an oleander in the open ground, the reproduction of this flower will be just as intense, that you can create an entire greenhouse from one bush soon! You can propagate the Mediterranean rose in 2 ways:

• sowing seeds;
• cuttings.

At the end of flowering a seed box is formed - they are collected and stored until spring in a dry, well-ventilated room. You can also buy seeds in a special store. Oleander should be sown in neutral, slightly acidic soil, in places where there is enough sunlight, but there is no direct rays.

For reproduction by cutting, also wait for spring and do the following.

1. Take stems 12-15 cm long.
2. Lubricate the cut areas with charcoal and dry.
3. Plant them in lightly moistened fine clay and perlite.
4. The temperature in the room where the cuttings are located should be 18-20 ° C.
5. When the roots appear, plant cuttings in open soil.

Not bad rooted cuttings and in a normal container with water. To prevent rotting, lower a small piece of charcoal there. Within a month, the roots will surely appear, and with attentive, thorough care, we can well expect flowering in the year of planting. Oleander grows very well at home. If you want to make this flower an ornament of your room, plant cuttings or seeds in such an earthen mixture:

• a third of sod land;
• third of peat;
• a third of the humus;
• 10% sandy soil.

Before planting, you can freeze the ground to destroy harmful microorganisms.

Make sure to care for the southern rose is not difficult!

Many mistresses are interested in how whimsical oleander is. Care and cultivation in the garden of this southern miracle will not cause much trouble. The shrub needs abundant watering only during droughts. Just do not overdo it, otherwise the leaves may turn yellow. Half an hour after the soil is moistened, feed the oleander once every 2 weeks. For this ideal mineral and organic fertilizers, which must be alternated to strengthen the plant.

If oleander has taken root, pruning and the formation of a bush are necessary for proper growth and aesthetic appearance of the plant. Waiting for the end of flowering, act professionally:

1. Hold the scissors at an angle.
2. When cutting the stems over the buds, shorten the branches by half.
3. If there are still buds, cut the side processes under them to stimulate flowering.
4. Do not forget: poisonous juice is released from the cut point, causing burns, so wear tight gloves and safety glasses.

In winter, the plant can withstand temperatures only up to -10 ° C. To protect the oleander from the negative effects of frost, warm the roots with mulch, sawdust, and wrap the branches with plastic or burlap.

If Mediterranean roses grow on your windowsill, create optimal conditions for them.

• If there is a lack of natural lighting, fill it with a fluorescent lamp installed at a height of 70-80 cm above the top of the flower. The flower needs additional lighting 8 hours a day.
• In summer, the temperature in the room should be around 20 ° C, and in the fall, begin to gradually lower the temperature: in the winter months, oleander is comfortable at 10 ° C.
• If the plant is in a living room and there is no way to reduce the temperature, more often ventilate the room.
• Take care of the southern rose from the drafts and periodically spray it.
• Do not allow the soil to dry out, but during the cold season make sure that the roots do not start to deteriorate.
• In spring and summer, the oleander can be in the garden or on the balcony.
• Young plants should be transplanted every year into a flowerpot that is 3 cm more than before: Do not plant an oleander in a huge “house” right away, otherwise the flower will spend too much energy on vegetative growth and will not bloom soon.

If you want to make your flowerbeds more diverse or to decorate the house with a guest from distant subtropics, do not hesitate to plant an oleander. Care and cultivation of this flower will be for you a pleasant experience. For his unusual beauty and strong smell, he is willingly forgiven for his poisonousness, the main thing is not to forget about elementary precautionary measures. Make your life brighter and more interesting with the help of a real miracle of nature - fragrant roses of the Mediterranean!