The oleander (Nerium oleander), also known in this country as 'rose laurel', is widespread around the Mediterranean. The wild form with its pink-red flowers primarily overgrows the moist and fertile river floodplains, while the flowers of the cultivated varieties delight with a variety of different shades of pink, red and purple. There are also some yellow oleanders.
When and in what colors does the oleander bloom?
Oleander flowers are fivefold, arranged in umbels and hermaphroditic. They appear in various shades of pink, red, purple and yellow. The oleander blooms continuously from June to September and does not require a second plant for fertilization.
Do not cut off spent inflorescences
The five-fold flowers of the oleander are always together in so-called umbels and are hermaphroditic - this means that the oleander does not need a second bush for successful fertilization. The popularity of the oleander can be explained not only by the wonderful delicacy and colorfulness of its flowers, but also by its tireless blooms - the shrub, which is up to five meters high, blooms continuously between June and September. However, you should not cut off spent inflorescences, just pluck them off - the subsequent flowers are already at the tip of the umbel and would also fall victim to the scissors.
Tip
The term 'yellow oleander' refers not only to the real oleander, but also to the highly poisonous bell tree (Thevetia peruviana), which comes from the tropics.
