Oleander is a southern flower from the Kutrov family, grows mainly in the south of Europe, in Japan, Asia and Africa. This evergreen plant blooms all summer. Inflorescences come in completely different colors (white, yellow, red, pink, purple) and shape.
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It is worth mentioning that growing this plant at home can be dangerous, since indoor flowers of the oleander are poisonous. It is also quite difficult to keep this plant in the house, since it is very moody: in the summer, it needs a lot of light, while in winter the flower needs coolness. To place this wayward evergreen flower is best in the east, west or south, not more than half a meter from the window. With a lack of light, the oleander will begin to stretch upward strongly.
Oleander in nature
Oleander is a flower that, under natural conditions, can reach a height of two meters, so when grown at home, pruning is simply necessary. If you wish, you can give it any shape - in the form of a bush or in the form of a tree. Be sure to remove 2/3 of the shoot. Forming an oleander in the form of a bush, pruning is done 3 times before flowering. This is done in order to form a lush bush and increase the number of buds.
Care
Oleander is a flower that requires a lot of attention. In summer it can be taken out to the garden, but in order not to harm it, the sun should be avoided. The soil for this southern plant is best used from the following components: turf - 4 parts, leaf soil - 2, humus - 2, sand - 1. Oleander - a flower that grows well on the street in a slightly acidic soil with a neutral reaction. If he underwent a transplant, then it must be provided with a sufficient amount of light, heat.
Watering should be regular, and the plant needs to arrange a monthly bath in the shower. For watering, it is best to use water in an amount of 5-10% of the total volume of the pot. This means that in the winter and autumn periods, 50-100 grams of water is taken per liter of soil, in the summer heat the volume increases 3 times.
It is necessary to keep the flower cool in winter, the temperature should be 8-12 ° C (not lower than 7 ° C). If central heating is turned on in a house with an oleander, then in this case it must be sprayed regularly. Compliance with proper care in the winter is the key to abundant flowering next summer.
Top dressing
This beautiful evergreen plant can also be fed with fertilizers, such as mullein (organic) or for a mixture of indoor flowers with a full range of mineral components. It is necessary to fertilize during the period of rapid growth (from April to August) every 14 days. In August, we do not fertilize, because the plant needs to mature and prepare for wintering. Young oleanders are transplanted annually, old ones once every 3 years, while the top layer of the earth should be changed. The plant propagates by layering, seeds, cuttings, which must be rooted in spring and summer in water or sand.
Oleander flowers (photos of them can be seen in the article) are often grown at home, being a bright decoration of the interior.