Nerium

( NEER - ee - um )

At-A-Glance Information

This species of evergreen flowering shrub, commonly called Oleander, includes species which need full sun and little to moderate water to perform well in the garden. These shrubs are native to the Mediterranean and reach 3-20 feet tall and 4-12 feet wide. The larger varieties can be trained into single or multi-trunked small trees. Leaves are dark green and leathery and fragrant flowers bloom profusely in clusters in springtime. Blossoms range in color from yellow, pink, salmon and red. Use these shrubs to create dense privacy screens, as flowering hedges, or as colorful foundation plantings. Take care when planting these in your yard, as all parts are poisonous if ingested; do not burn the clippings as the smoke can cause severe lung irritation.

nerium Species and Varietals

The genus Nerium is a member of the plant family Apocynaceae and includes just one species, Nerium oleander. Plants in this genus are closely related to those in Adenium (Desert Rose). Oleander grows well in USDA hardiness zones 8-11 or Sunset growing zones 8-16, 18-24, H1 and H2. To find your zone, click here: Zone Map. Nerium plants are considered invasive in California, Texas and Florida in the United States, South Africa, Australia, Hawai'i, New Zealand, and Cuba.

'Mrs. Roeding'
With double flowers in salmon-pink; reaches 6 feet tall and has smaller leaves and finer textured foliage than the species.

'Petite Pink'
3-6 feet tall and just as wide.

'Petite Salmon'
3-6 feet tall and just as wide.

Caring for nerium

Take care when planting these in your yard, as all parts are poisonous if ingested; do not burn the clippings as the smoke can cause severe lung irritation. Wear gloves when working with plant parts. Plant Nerium in a space in the landscape that receives full sun; ideally, they appreciate between 6 and 8 hours of sun each day for the best blooms. Ensure that soil is well-draining, rich in nutrients, and has a pH of between 5.0 and 8.3 (slightly acidic to slightly alkaline). If local soils are particularly poor in nutrients or do not drain well, make sure to amend the planting area with plenty of organic compost before installing. Apply a layer of mulch around the planting area to suppress weed growth, maintain consistent soil temperatures, and to increase soil moisture retention.

Water new plantings regularly as they establish a strong root system in their new home. At maturity, these plants are considered drought-tolerant, able to get by on rainwater alone. Provide deep waterings during extended periods of drought. Fertilize yearly in early springtime with an application of 2 inches of compost around the base of plants. Pull mulch back before applying, work the compost gently into the soil a bit, water it in, and then replace mulch. Pruning is simple; remove any damaged, diseased, or dead foliage at any time during the growing season. Flowers will fall from their attachments naturally when the blooming season is finished, and these shrubs do not need to be deadheaded. Nerium are long-lived perennials, and typically can survive in the landscape for between 25 and 50 years before needing to be replaced.

Caring for Nerium in Containers
Nerium shrubs are wonderful in the ground, but can also be grown in containers. Choose a container that is at least a few inches wider and deeper than the nursery pot or root ball. Ensure that the pot has adequate drainage holes on the bottom to allow for excess water to flow away. Fill with a well-draining potting mix amended with organic material and perlite, and top with a layer of mulch to suppress weed growth, maintain consistent soil temperatures, and to increase soil moisture retention. Water regularly as the plant establishes itself in its new home. Once established, waterings can be lessened. Nerium plants grown in containers will need more frequent irrigation than those grown in the ground. As a general rule of thumb, water whenever the top few inches of soil feels dry to the touch. Prune to remove dead, damaged, or diseased foliage at any time during the growing season. Every few years, check the bottom of the pot to ensure that the plant is not outgrowing its root space. If roots are growing through the drainage holes in the bottom of the container, it is a good indication that it needs to be potted up; choose a slightly larger container and repot.

Propagation

Nerium oleander can be propagated either by using cuttings or from seed. To ensure that your propagated plant will have the exact same qualities and characteristics as the parent plant, use the cutting method. If you would like to experiment and see what plant you can grow from seed, just keep in mind that it will not necessarily be the same as the parent plant. To propagate your shrub, follow the instructions below:

Propagating Nerium by Cutting

Gather your materials. You'll need a clean, sanitized, sharp pair of garden shears, rooting hormone, a pencil, and a 3-inch pot filled with well-draining compost or other organic material. A good substrate for propagation of cuttings is a light blend of 1/3 pasteurized soil or compost, 1/3 sand, vermiculite or perlite, and 1/3 coconut coir or peat moss.
In spring or early summertime, choose the plant that you'd like to propagate. Ensure that this plant has had a good watering the night before, as this will improve the chances your cutting will take root. Cut one or more 10 to 12-inch semi-hardwood portion(s) of the end of a non-blooming branch and strip the leaves off of the lower half. Old, hardwood does not usually root well. Make a hole in your planting medium by pushing your pencil into the soil. Dip the end of the stem in rooting hormone, and plant it in your pot. Fill in soil around the cutting to support it, but do not pack it down too much.
Moisten with water, and ensure that the pot has good drainage. Your pot should be kept in warm, sunny conditions indoors (and not in direct sunlight). Water whenever your soil is dry under the top layer. After about four to six weeks have passed, your cutting should be rooted. When you notice new growth, you'll know you have roots.
Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring, when you can transplant it to its new home. Ensure that the last frost of the year has occurred before doing this, as it can seriously damage your new shrub.

Propagating Nerium by Seed

Keep in mind that the plant you get from seed will not necessarily mimic all of the characteristics of the parent plant. To propagate by seed, you will need a paper bag, a pot or tray filled with well-draining compost or other organic material, a spray bottle and a fork. The best potting medium for seed germination is a light blend of 1/3 pasteurized soil or compost, 1/3 sand, vermiculite or perlite, and 1/3 coconut coir or peat moss.
Harvest your seeds. They will start to pop out of the seed pods in late summer or fall. Remove the seed pods from the plant, and place them in a paper bag. The pods will continue to open up and spill their seeds. Once they have been released, remove them from the bag and lay them out so you can work with them.
Water your prepared seed tray or pot filled with soil, and ensure that good drainage is occurring. Place your seeds in your prepared pot or seed tray about a quarter inch to a half-inch under the soil surface. Cover them with soil and water with your spray bottle. Place your tray of seeds in a warm area that receives bright, indirect light. A greenhouse is the most ideal climate, but a planting tray inside a window will do as well. Germination usually takes up to 90 days from sowing. Once you begin to see seedlings sprout and they are able to be handled, transplant them to their own individual 3-inch pots, filled with the same potting medium as described in Step 1. Loosen the seedlings from the potting medium by digging down with the tines of your fork about an inch and a half, gently working the seedling up until it is out. Then, replant the seedling in its individual pot.
Keep the seedling's potting medium moist, but not wet, by spraying the soil with your spray bottle. Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring (after the danger of frost has passed), when you can transplant it to its new home.