Oleander is a flowering shrub that grows in the wild in the Mediterranean. He loves warmth, bright light and water, so in regions with a subtropical climate it will feel good outdoors. The height of the shrub can reach 2 meters, but breeders have bred many miniature varieties for the care and cultivation of oleander in an apartment.
Features of caring for oleander at home
For indoor floriculture, dwarf or slow-growing varieties are recommended, for example, "PetitSalmon" or "MarieMauron". They are distinguished by thin shoots, small leaves and longer flowering, which begins in late May and ends in mid-autumn. Most plants have a pleasant, but tart aroma, so keeping them in small living spaces is not recommended. Caring for the oleander does not take much time, especially in the summer with its help you can decorate not only the apartment, but also open verandas or terraces.
Lighting
Oleander prefers bright light and is not afraid of sunburn of the foliage, so the container can be safely placed on south-facing windows. In the autumn-winter period, the plant will need additional lighting. It is desirable that the duration of daylight hours in winter is at least 9 hours, this will have a beneficial effect on further flowering.
Air temperature
The shrub needs fresh but warm air. Considering that in winter the flower is at rest, the temperature of the content should be lowered:
- in summer - from +21 ° C to +27 ° C,
- in winter - from +10 ° C to +15 ° C.
If in the autumn-winter period it is not possible to create the necessary temperature regime, nothing will happen to the plant, but it will be necessary to ventilate the room more often and monitor the moisture content of the soil.
In warm summer, you can "move" the oleander to the balcony, veranda, or add a pot in the garden. Clean air and nature will benefit him.
Air humidity
To get a beautiful oleander, care and cultivation does not require high humidity. Sometimes it is quite enough to spray the plant from a spray bottle, it is often recommended to do this in winter, during the heating season. In summer, even in spite of the heat, the flower will feel great without spraying, but it is advisable to pour water into the pan of the pot, and river pebbles can also be thrown there.
Important! At air temperatures below +20 ° C, water should not be left in the sump, this can lead to decay of the root system.
Watering oleander
With the appearance of the hot spring sun, the oleander should be watered abundantly, the drying out of the earthen coma is destructive for it. However, care must be taken to ensure that the soil does not sour from dampness, and the plant does not get sick with root rot. The optimal watering regime is once every 2-3 days.
For humidification, warm water is needed, a couple of degrees higher than the ambient temperature. The plant is more suitable for hard water, mixed with lime, for this reason, irrigation with rainwater is not recommended, as the soil quickly sours and prevents the absorption of nutrients.
Composition of the soil for growing oleander
Loamy soil with a pH in the range of 6-6.5 is suitable for growing oleander. It is better to prepare the substrate yourself:
- sod land - 2 parts,
- sheet land - 1 part,
- humus - 1 part,
- fibrous peat substrate - 1 part,
- medium-grained sand - 1 part.
Fertilization
Blooming oleander - caring for it will not do without regular feeding. The procedure should be carried out only in the spring-summer period, choosing cool and cloudy days, so the microelements entering the soil are better absorbed. To avoid a chemical burn of the roots, the diluted solution should be applied 30–40 minutes after watering with clean water. As a top dressing, both a mineral complex for flowering indoor plants and organic matter are suitable.
Pruning and pinching oleander
The splendor of flowering largely depends on proper pruning. In the fall, as soon as the last inflorescences have withered, the bush must be cut by 2/3, because the ovaries of the buds next year will appear only on young shoots. In flowering plants, the vegetative shoots should be pinched regularly. This is an essential part of caring for oleander, otherwise the flowers will be small and underdeveloped.
Attention! Oleander juice is very poisonous, it can cause not only vomiting, diarrhea and heart problems if it enters the stomach, but also skin rashes if the plant is trimmed without gloves.
Reproduction and transplantation of oleander
Oleander can reproduce in several ways:
- sowing seeds,
- growing cuttings,
- getting layering.
For amateur flower growers, this method is more suitable: growing and caring for oleander obtained from a cuttings. Shoots are cut in spring or autumn, their length should be about 12 cm. The cut should be powdered with crushed charcoal and dried in the open air for several hours. It is best to root the cutting in a mixture of sand and charcoal, such a substrate that prevents the spread of infections. For successful rooting, you need: an air temperature of at least +20 ° C, good lighting and a moderately moist substrate. Young leaves should appear in 20-30 days, after they get stronger, the seedlings should be planted in soil suitable for growing adult plants. If rooting the cuttings in the substrate seems difficult, you can place them in a jar of water and add some charcoal.
It is recommended to replant young plants annually in May or early June, and adults every 3 years. It is not necessary to completely remove the substrate - it is enough to replace the top layer of the earth, drainage and, if necessary, choose a more spacious pot. If the roots are not entwined with an earthen lump, then it is too early to transplant the plant; in a container that is too spacious, it may refuse to bloom.
Diseases and pests of oleander
Unfortunately, growing and caring for oleander contains many difficulties and even specific diseases.
The most common problems are:
- oleander drops leaves- insufficiently bright lighting;
- shrub does not bloom- no pruning has been done, too little light, a spacious pot, irregular feeding or poor watering.
The worst disease for a Mediterranean bush is oleander cancer. This disease is caused by a special bacterium that is difficult to get rid of. The disease manifests itself in the form of dark growths on the stems of plants, in shape they resemble cauliflower. When neglected, bacteria infect plant leaves, flowers and buds. They turn black, cracks appear on them. You can try to save the plant by cutting out branches with signs of the disease; in the conditions of indoor floriculture, there are no other methods of struggle yet.
With too dry air and poor care, oleander is affected by pests: aphids, scale insects, spider mites. These small insects are probably familiar to every grower. A soap solution, alcohol or tobacco tincture will help to cope with them. For greater effect, it is better to purchase broad-spectrum insecticides.
Oleander is not only an attractive plant that can decorate a living or working space, but also a real amulet. It is believed that a flower is able to dispel gloomy thoughts, drive away melancholy and save a person from laziness!
Home care video for oleander
Oleander (lat.Nerium) is an evergreen flowering shrub from the kutrovy family.
Homeland: areas of the Mediterranean.
Flower: red, pink, white. The flowering period is summer, autumn.
Basic care requirements
The soil
The optimum acidity of the soil mixture is pH 5.5-7.8. The composition of the soil mixture: 1 part of sod land + 1 part of coarse sand or perlite + 1 part of peat or leaf humus + 10 g of lime for every 10 liters of mixture. The mixture must be sterilized before use.
Pests
Aphids, mealybugs, scale insects, spider mites. For pest control methods and techniques, see the Pests section. Pests suck the juice from the leaves, causing them to die off. Also, these pests, by their activity, contribute to the infection of oleander with secondary infections - fungal diseases.
Photo. Scabbard on an oleander. The scabbard mainly affects green (apical) and semi-lignified shoots.
Photo. Aphids on oleander primarily affect the growth point (leaves). With prolonged infection, the plant is affected everywhere.
Diseases
Numerous types of fungi cause leaf spot disease. Leaves become stained, discolored, then die off and fall off. For prevention and control methods, see the Diseases section.
Leaf burn is a bacterial disease. There is no cure, the plant dies within two years. From the moment of infection, the bacterium paralyzes the water-carrying cells of the plant. The disease is transmitted by sucking pests. For the temperate zone, the disease is not typical. Symptoms of the disease are similar to those when the plant is deficient in moisture (watering) - yellowing of the leaves, discoloration of the tips of the leaves (turn brown), falling foliage and death of branches, lack of growth. The disease is common during the warm season.
Temperature. The optimum temperature for winter keeping is 10-12 0 С. Temperatures below zero are unacceptable.
Lighting
Optimum illumination is bright, diffused light. After the end of the frost, it is useful to take the plant out into the street. To adapt to direct sunlight: on the first day, keep in the sun for 45 minutes, add half an hour on each subsequent day. On the fourth day, the plant is ready to be exposed to sunlight without restrictions.
Watering
Further care:
- during the month, the lighting is bright diffused light. Then we adapt to direct sunlight (see above).
- we start feeding from the second month. The first two months, the fertilizer concentration is 50% of the recommended.
- from the third month, care like an adult plant.
If the ambient temperature rises to 30 0 C and above, then it is not worth rooting the cuttings in water, the main percentage of the cuttings will die. In this case, the cuttings are rooted in the soil substrate.
Prepare the soil mixture: 1 part peat + 1 part perlite, sterilize it. We use disposable cups (200 ml) with drainage holes as a container. We pour in the substrate, pour it with water. We process the cutting with a root formation stimulator. With a wooden stick we make a 3 cm depression in the substrate. Then we insert the cutting, squeeze the soil around the cutting with our fingers. For the rooting of cuttings in the substrate, air humidity close to 100% is required, so we put containers with cuttings in a greenhouse. Rooting conditions are the same as in water. The substrate should be constantly moist, we ventilate the cuttings in the greenhouse every day.
Perhaps, due to the heating season, the air in the room has become dry, then the oleander will benefit from regular spraying with water at room temperature: the tips of its leaves will not dry out. During an active growing season, the oleander is watered very abundantly; during the rest period, watering is limited. Don't water the oleander with cold water - it doesn't like it. Do not allow the earthen coma to dry out, including in winter.
It depends on where they dry ... If they dry up (I mean the CROWN of the oleander), then you don't water it enough. If at the bottom, you water too much ...
In winter, it is advisable to spray the plant with water at room temperature. Dry air can dry out the tips of the leaves.
And he sheds the leaves due to lack of light!
got drunk
An oleander needs a large room or greenhouse. It blooms in summer with fragrant flowers, collected in a brush over narrow, willow-like leaves. Wood and sap are poisonous. Oleander, when it turns into a large bush, is not easy to care for - in winter, the pot or tub needs to be moved to a cool room, and in the summer it needs to relax in the fresh air in the garden. In autumn, the faded shoots are cut off.
SECRETS OF SUCCESS
Temperature: Moderate, not lower than 8 ° C in winter. Lighting: Bright sunlight. Watering: Abundant from spring to autumn, moderate in winter. Watered with soft water. Air humidity: Does not require spraying. Transfer: If necessary in the spring. Reproduction: Stem cuttings in spring or summer.
N. oleander may look like a compact shrub when purchased, but keep in mind that it will grow and can grow up to 2m in height. In culture, forms with white, pink, red and yellow flowers are presented.
With a lack of light, it does not bloom in the summer.
With a lack of light in the autumn-winter period, the plant sheds its leaves.
It is damaged by a specific disease - oleander cancer.
The poor flowering of old oleander bushes occurs due to lack of nutrition and light, poor watering and lack of pruning.
For normal development and flowering, oleander needs a very bright, sunny place with a constant supply of fresh air.
Grows well on southern windows. When grown on north-facing windows, it can shed leaves from lack of lighting, so you can create additional lighting with fluorescent lamps.
In summer, it can be taken out into the open air (balcony, veranda or garden) and kept in a sunny, well-ventilated place, but precipitation should be protected. In the garden, the oleander is best placed against the south wall. If you do not have the opportunity to place plants outdoors in the summer, then you should regularly ventilate the room.
Bright lighting is also needed in winter. Additional lighting can be created by using fluorescent lamps, placing them above the plant at a distance of 60-70 cm, for at least 8 hours a day. In the autumn-winter period, it is also necessary to ventilate the room, but drafts should be avoided.
With a lack of light, the oleander sheds foliage. If you purchased an oleander and it was kept in low light, then you need to get used to more light gradually.
In the spring-summer period (especially during the flowering period), the plant prefers a sufficiently high air temperature (20-27 ° C) with a constant supply of fresh air. In autumn, the temperature is gradually lowered to 18-15 ° C. In winter, oleander is kept in cool, well-lit places at a temperature of 8-15 ° C, from mid-March, preferably at least 15 ° C. At higher temperatures, mandatory ventilation of the room is required.
Oleander is watered abundantly from spring to autumn, immediately after the top layer of the substrate dries up. On hot and sunny days, the water can be left in the sump when watering. Also, in hot weather, the pots are placed in trays with water and make sure that there is always water in them. But if it is cloudy and cool, the water is poured out of the pan. Watering is carried out with soft, well-settled and warm water (two to three degrees warmer than the temperature in the room where the plant stands).
In the autumn-winter period, the plant is watered moderately, depending on the temperature of the content, making sure that the earth does not acidify and the roots do not rot. Water it after two to three days, after the top layer dries. Oleander is sensitive to drying out of an earthen coma.
The plant does not need spraying in the spring-summer period. On hot days, it will be best for the oleander if you put the plant pot in a tray with water. In winter, it is still advisable to spray the plant with water at room temperature. Dry air can dry out the tips of the leaves.
The plant responds well to feeding in the spring-summer period with liquid organic and mineral fertilizers (alternating) weekly or once every two weeks. Top dressing should be carried out on cloudy, cool days and half an hour after watering the plant.
The splendor of the oleander bloom depends on its pruning. Pruning is done after flowering, by cutting the branches by half or more, because flowers are formed at the ends of annual shoots that grow well after a short pruning. Pruned branches can be used on cuttings that root well.
In flowering specimens, the vegetative shoots that appear under the flower buds should be plucked out, otherwise they will interfere with their development.
The reason that it does not bloom is mainly due to lack of pruning or poor pruning, as well as insufficient light, lack of nutrition and moisture.
Oleander is a beautiful evergreen plant from the Mediterranean coast. Belongs to the shrub plant family. It blooms with white, pink (fuchsia), red inflorescences all summer and part of autumn.
Although the plant is considered "evergreen" and adaptable to growing both at home and in the garden, diseases also overtake it. For example, oleander leaves turn yellow for some reason. In today's article we will try to figure out why this is happening.
Why do oleander leaves turn yellow?
The delicate oleander plant is subject to fungal, viral diseases, as well as pest attacks. In order to protect your flower pet from negative influences, you need to decide why it occurs, and then how to cope and cure the flower.
Why oleander leaves turn yellow:
- Leaf burn;
- Lighting violations;
- Improper watering;
- Inappropriate feeding;
- Incorrect pruning;
Let's start by looking at a common disease in oleander - leaf burn. It refers to bacterial diseases. It develops slowly, so the gardener may not pay special attention to the first manifestations. 
Symptoms of a leaf burn in oleander:
- Yellowing of the leaves;
- Browning of the edges of the sheet;
- Falling leaves;
- Dying off of branches;
- Termination of the formation of growth;
Lighting oleander
Oleander prefers bright and diffused lighting. It is necessary to gradually increase the volume, especially for young plants, starting at 45 minutes a day. Exceeding the allowed lighting time, and direct sunlight, hot and scorching sun will cause yellowing of oleander leaves.
Violation of watering oleander
With improper watering, the leaves of the oleander quickly begin to turn yellow. Excessive, as well as insufficient watering, is detrimental to the plant.
- With excessive watering stagnation of water in an earthen coma prevents the moderate absorption of moisture by the root system, as a result of which its transportation to the leaves is disturbed - they turn yellow.
- With insufficient watering the plant does not receive the required amount of moisture. Dehydration of the plant manifests itself evenly along the central branches, due to which a large number of leaves turn yellow and then fall off.
Oleander feeding
It is necessary to feed oleander with mineral fertilizers in the complex, however oversaturation with nitrogen ingredients leads to yellowing of leaves. in order to maintain the viability of the plant, nitrogen components should be introduced during the beginning of budding, in the remaining periods it is preferable to use potassium-phosphorus.
Pruning oleander
Gardeners know that oleander leaf juice is poisonous, so they try to carry out the pruning procedure as carefully as possible. However, the procedure can have bad consequences not only for the gardener, but also for the flower itself. It is necessary to work with oleander carefully - if, during the formation of an oleander, damage the main trunks, removing more shoots than necessary, it is possible that the plant will begin to turn yellow intensively enduring stress.
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Video: Why do oleander leaves turn yellow?
Video: Why doesn't oleander bloom?
Oleander is an ornamental plant. This evergreen shrub has been known since ancient times. It was his images that were found by archaeologists on the frescoes of the notorious city of Pompeii. It was he who enjoyed great popularity in ancient Rome and Greece. The plant itself has its homeland - the Mediterranean. It is distinguished by dark green leaf plates. They are lanceolate and leathery. The length of the plates can reach 20 cm. Their appearance is comparable to that of willow or willow leaf plates. The leaves are combined into groups, located on the stem in the amount of three pieces. One inflorescence has 6-8 flowers. They are distinguished by an aesthetic white, lilac, pink or red shade. Oleander care should be especially careful during the growing season - from June to September. However, it is required to monitor the flower in other months, as this prepares opportunities for further intensive growth.
There are many varieties of flower, which differ from each other in the features of their appearance. They can have varying degrees of terry, from its complete absence to terry varieties. The flower plates are distinguished by white, yellow and pink hues. There are varieties with and without aroma available. The leaf blade can be pale green, yellowish and green. Keeping a plant at home is fraught with some dangers. The fact is that all parts of it are considered poisonous. Especially dangerous exposure to poison can be during the pruning procedure. Plant care is due to its natural habitat. This is a Mediterranean climate. This refers to the territory from Southern Europe to Japan. Oleander grows on the sea coasts. It can also develop in dry valleys.
Basic rules for care
When starting this shrub, it should be borne in mind that it grows quite intensively. If growing conditions are ideal, it can grow up to 1.8 meters. It grows quite intensively, which necessitates pruning. This procedure is necessary in order for the plant to please the eye with its neat shape. But this is only part of the measures that need to be taken when keeping oleander. Consider the basic rules for caring for him:
- Location. It is required to put the plant in a place that is distinguished by good lighting, as well as an acceptable temperature regime. The shrub grows best when it is warm. The best place will be a place with a bright light of the sun. Therefore, for the oleander, you can prepare a balcony or loggia on the south side. What happens if you put the plant in a place with poor lighting? When a small amount of light arrives, the leaf plates begin to fade, the shoots begin to stretch. Another side effect is the lack of opening of the buds. In the summertime, it is recommended to take out the shrubbery to the balcony. In winter, a dormant period begins, during which it is recommended to place the plant in a bright room with a low temperature;
- Temperature conditions. In winter, it is necessary to provide the plant with a temperature regime of 6-8 degrees. It is recommended to put it in cold greenhouses. Good lighting is provided. From mid-March, the growing season begins, during which a temperature regime of 10-12 degrees is required. The transition to the new regime should be gradual, since abrupt changes are fraught with developmental disorders;
- Substrate. The potting mix does not have to be prepared by yourself. You can also purchase a ready-made substrate. What is the best soil for oleander? Suitable substrates "Rose", "Cactus +". You can prepare the substrate yourself. This will require sod, leafy, humus soil in the proportions of 4: 2: 2. Sand is added to the resulting mixture in the volume of one part;
- Transfer. It can be carried out every year in the spring, if it is a young shrub. If he is an adult, the procedure can be carried out every 2-3 years. When carrying out transshipment, a sufficiently large pot is required. Previously, a drainage layer is poured into it. It can include gravel, expanded clay, small pebbles. Drainage is necessary because stagnation of moisture is contraindicated for the plant. After organizing the drainage system, you can start working with the substrate. Its main part is poured into a pot, after which the plant is planted. After the procedure, a little more soil is added, which is pressed against the root system. The procedure is completed by intensive watering;
- How to water a shrub? Air humidity for a plant is not so important. But you should not allow extremes - excessive dryness or moisture. How to irrigate? It should be regular. It is especially demanding to treat the humidity level in spring or summer. The ground should always be moist (its top layer is 1-1.5 cm). In winter, a dormant period begins, during which watering must be reduced to the very minimum. However, the soil should not completely dry out. In hot weather, it is especially important to control the humidity level. To prevent the soil from drying out, you can use a tray with water. It also requires the addition of gravel. The pallet is placed under the plant. Soft water is used for irrigation. It can be defended to impart softness;
- Top dressing. The procedure should be carried out during the growing season, when the plant is actively developing. In spring and summer, it is recommended to feed every 1.5-2 weeks. For this, a liquid fertilizer based on minerals is used. You can prepare the composition yourself. This will require 1.5 grams of superphosphate, potassium, 2 grams of nitrate. The composition must be diluted in a liter of water. Saltpeter can be replaced with urea in the same amount;
- Pruning. This procedure is carried out to form a graceful shape, to stimulate intensive growth of shoots. Pruning also ensures a lush bloom. When is the procedure performed? It is recommended to plan it after flowering. Twigs can only be cut in half. This prepares the soil for intense flowering next year. To prevent exposure, weak shoots are cut off in the lower part. They will not bring flowering, and therefore only take away the strength of the plant. Better to free up space for new growth. If the bush is very bare, you can remove all the shoots. This is necessary so that the oleander does not waste resources on them and activates forces for a new flowering. However, it will take at least two years to wait for flowering.
Oleander cannot be called very whimsical. It will bloom actively, provided you follow the basic care guidelines.
Diseases and pests
Consider the pests that are attracted to this bush, as well as ways to deal with them:
- Red spider mite. Located on the bottom surface of the sheet plate. For treatment, it is required to remove the affected leaf plates, and then treat the bush with actellik. A liter of water will require 15-20 drops of the drug;
- Shield. Symptoms of its appearance are the leaves turn yellow, become sticky and spotty. The scabbards should be removed with a cotton swab dipped in kerosene or alcohol. If there are a lot of pests, you can carry out the treatment with actellik or decis;
- Mealybugs. Spread over the leaf plate, stems. Symptoms of the appearance are honeydew, yellowness and shedding of leaf plates. For pest control, it is recommended to collect them by hand. Such mechanical treatment can be carried out by means of a cotton swab dipped in alcohol or kerosene. If there are a lot of worms, you can carry out processing with karbofos. A liter of water will require 20-40 drops of the drug. If honeydew has formed, it can be removed with a soapy solution.
Oleander diseases do not often bother gardeners, but they can happen. Let's consider the most common problems:
- Leaves fall... This problem is often observed when there is a lack of sunlight. It is recommended to use additional lighting. Sometimes they can fall off due to the high temperature in winter. The temperature regime at this time cannot exceed 15 degrees;
- The leaf plates are covered with small spots. Called by thrips. They often appear with intensive watering and improper temperature conditions. You can fight them with the help of Aktara. For 5 liters of water, 4 grams of the drug are needed. A treatment procedure is scheduled every four days. The total number of treatments is four.
Most illnesses are caused by improper care. Therefore, it is so important to keep the bush as specified in the rules.
