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Trees- ShrubsOleander (Nerium oleander)
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Nerium oleander is the only species within its genus. It is a shrub that ranges in height between one and five meters high. It has no trunk; instead the branches grow up from the base of the plant. The branches are erect and the slender green grey leaves are borne along their entire length (1). The flowers form in clusters at the tips of the branches. The flowers are large, about five centimetres in diameter, with five spreading petals which are fused at the base into a long tube (2). The flowers are normally pink; however different varieties of the plants produce different coloured flowers, ranging from white through to red (3).
Nerium oleander is an evergreen plant. It has long narrow fruits that, at maturity, split open lengthwise to release the seeds (2). The flowers bloom throughout a long summer period (3).
It grows on the banks of rivers, torrent beds and ravines at low elevations (2). It likes well drained, sandy or chalky alkaline soils (3).
Nerium oleander is native to the Mediterranean region, Iran, China and the Indian sub-continent (4). It is common in the warmer areas of Greece (2).
IUCN Red List = Least Concern (5)
Description written by Amy Trayler (2009)
(1) Shoot (2009) Oleander (Nerium oleander) [online] Available:
http://www.shootgardening.co.uk/sitePlant.php?plantid=3355 [date accessed: 11/05/2009]
(2) Sfikas. G. (2001) Trees and Shrubs of Greece, Efstathiadis Group S.A., Greece
(3) BBC Gardening (2009) Nerium oleander [online] Available:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/plants/plant_finder/plant_pages/12264.shtml [date accessed: 11/05/2009]
(4) Kew Gardens (2009) Nerium oleander (Oleander) [online] Available:
http://250.kew.org/Plants/KEW_050160.html [date accessed: 11/05/2009]
(5) IUCN (2009) IUCN Red List of Threatened Species [online] Available:
http://www.iucnredlist.org [date accessed: 18/06/2009]
