The oleander, lushly blossoming at home, is beautiful and unconstrained in leaving. In the article I want to consider in more detail how to grow an oleander, care for it at home, as well as ways of propagating this plant. This evergreen shrub can decorate your apartment. It can grow even in a summer cottage, in a garden, in a garden, if the climate of your region allows. Oleander adorns the parks and streets of Crimea, the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus, Transcaucasia.
No wonder the oleander is called the rose of the Mediterranean, its lush large inflorescences actually resemble the queen of flowers. The aroma of a flowering plant is so intense that it can cause a headache, so at this time it is better to take the oleander out of the room in which you are going to sleep.
This southern representative is distinguished by a long flowering period - from the beginning of summer to October (with appropriate care). For winter, even in the natural conditions of the subtropics, narrow leathery leaves do not fall.
Oleander flower, photo:
Oleander: growing and caring at home
This shrub loves the sun very much, so with the onset of summer it is recommended to take it out onto a balcony, loggia or terrace. Acceptable temperature for keeping the plant in summer is + 23..28 ° C, in winter - + 5..6 ° C.
It should be borne in mind that even a small oleander purchased at a flower shop will eventually turn into a lush bush reaching 2 meters in height. To make the plant feel comfortable, stock up in advance with a voluminous pot or even a tub.
Mediterranean rose blooms in white, yellow, pink inflorescences, has leathery oblong leaves, somewhat similar to willow.
You should know about the important feature of the oleander - it is very poisonous!
Despite the fact that this plant is used in medicine for the production of medicines for heart diseases, all its parts (bark, leaf, flower, juice) are toxic to humans and animals.
The oleander houseplant prefers fertile soil, especially a mixture of humus, sand, turf and leafy soil. If you decide to collect land from your site, then make sure that it has a neutral acidity level. Access to sunlight is the main factor in the lush flowering and brightness of colors, if the plant lacks light, the foliage will be faded, and the buds may not open at all. If you have a small reservoir in the country, then for the summer period you can dig an oleander (right with a pot) next to it, this will only benefit the plant.
Watering is no less important for the well-being of the flower, its frequency directly depends on the level of the column on the thermometer. If heat reigns, and the oleander is in direct sunlight, then you need to water it regularly and abundantly - water in the pan should be present constantly.
Oleander loves frequent irrigation, in the summer you can safely take a pot, put it in a bath and arrange a full-fledged shower for the plant. If your oleander is just starting to develop, then it will be useful to pamper it with top dressing from the mullein infusion (we dilute 1:10 with water, we insist 24 hours). Water for irrigation should have a room temperature. With the onset of autumn, watering becomes moderate.
Can oleander be trimmed? Closer to August, it is recommended to trim the shoots. And if your plant is already blooming, then you need to wait until it fades. During pruning, the shrub is given not only a neat harmonious shape, but also a powerful foundation is laid for the subsequent favorable flowering. Remember, only overwintered branches will bloom with the onset of summer. When pruned, the branches are shortened by about half. So you will have cuttings for the reproduction of the oleander.
Photo of oleander cuttings:
With the onset of winter, leave the oleander in the brightest place, however, the air temperature should be somewhere between +9 .. + 12 ° C. If you leave the plant in the shade, then it will begin to drop foliage, and with the advent of summer it may not give flowers. In winter, watering is much less common, you just need to make sure that the earthen lump is not too dry. If you use heaters or the room is well heated, do not be too lazy to irrigate the oleander regularly with spray water.
Plant transplantation is also an integral part of home care. This is best done in early spring (March or April), in the process of transplanting, it is recommended to slightly prune the roots. If you have a young oleander, then you need to transplant every year. An older flower is transplanted every 3 years. If the shrub has already reached a very large size, then you have to limit yourself to replacing the upper layer of soil.
White oleander, flower in the photo:
As for fertilizers, this plant responds well to organic and mineral nutrition. You can alternate each week a particular type of supplement, which is recommended to be applied 30 minutes after watering, preferably in the evening.
Before the onset of flowering, carefully examine the branches of the bush. In oleander, under the flower (generative) buds, growth branches are formed (bearing only leaves). These shoots must be removed, since subsequently they will draw vitality from the flowers and thereby impede their normal development.
Oleander - propagation by cuttings
Cuttings are best done in spring or autumn. As mentioned above, when forming shoots of shoots, there are enough branches left that can give good roots. One way or another, the length of the cuttings should be about 10-15 cm, they put it in a container of water, in which it is recommended to throw a couple of pieces of charcoal (or pharmacy, activated) to prevent decay. Water should be changed weekly.
A method of rooting an oleander in clean sand mixed with coal or in perlite is also widespread. Such a mixture should be constantly moistened, but not too much, since stagnation of moisture can also provoke decay of roots.
Shank for rooting, photo:
After you deepen the cuttings into the mixture, additionally spread small pieces of coal around the root neck. At this stage, the air temperature should vary between +17 .. + 20 ° C. Good lighting (but not direct sunlight) and regular ventilation are required.
After about a month, roots appear on the oleander cuttings, when they develop well, plants can be placed in pots with an earthen mixture, which includes peat, humus, sand, turf. When seedlings begin to add in growth, they need to be periodically taken out in the sun (to accustom).
Such oleanders can bloom in the first year of life.
Cuttings are the most convenient way to propagate the oleander at home, but the seed method is also worth mentioning. To do this, it is better to use freshly ripened material, which has good germination, but you need to be prepared for the fact that the seeds do not hatch at the same time.
Before deepening into the soil, they must be kept in a solution of potassium permanganate (about half an hour), and for this you can use systemic fungicide. After this treatment, the seeds are soaked in warm water for 3-4 hours, you can add a solution of zircon.
Vermiculite or a mixture of sand and coal is an ideal substrate for sowing, the seeds are sown in the prepared soil, sprinkled on top of it, then put in a warm place where the air temperature is + 33..35 ° С. With this approach to business shoots appear after a week or 10 days.
Seed oleander, photo:
If the temperature is lower, then the waiting time for seedlings will be extended, there will be a chance of rotting of the seed. After the appearance of sprouts, additional illumination with a fluorescent lamp may be required. Monitoring the humidity level, regularly ventilating the room with seedlings, picking after the first pair of leaves appear - the nuances of the painstaking and long process of growing oleander.
Thus, according to most gardeners and summer residents, growing a plant by means of cuttings is the most acceptable, convenient option.
Oleander transplant at home
How to transplant an oleander tree at home? The oleander, the cultivation and care of which I described above, also needs a transplant. Young bushes need to be replanted annually, each time choosing a pot that should be 3 cm larger in diameter than the previous one. You should not take too much capacity - you will not see flowers for a long time because vegetative growth will take away all the energy from the shrub.
This process should be done very carefully, after generously watering the plant. Then you need to remove the oleander with an earthen lump. This method is called transshipment. Further, the roots of the bush are carefully cleaned of the old soil, it is installed in the middle of a new tank and covered with earth. After this, the plant must be placed in the dark and not watered for three days - this is necessary for active rooting in a new place.
Adult oleanders are transplanted about once every three years, by then the pot becomes cramped for them, which can be determined by the roots sticking out of the drainage holes. As mentioned above, the roots of mature plants are pruned a little with this transplant. They can be sprinkled with chopped chalk - this technique has a positive effect not only on future flowering, but also on its splendor.
It is extremely rare that the oleander does not take root or the stalk does not let roots.
This plant can be recommended to beginners, as it is not capricious in care and very decorative.
The main thing - do not forget that the oleander is poisonous!
If you have small children or curious pets, you must be doubly careful.
Let the oleander decorate your house and delight your eyes, care at home for which will not be particularly difficult. Light, moderate watering, fresh air - all this plant needs.