Nerium - the oleander

Scientific Name: Nerium odorum or Nerium indica IUCN Status: Least Concerned

It is also called as Rose Laurel or Rose bay.

Its Genus name Nerium is the Latinized form of Greek word of the plant Nerion, which is in turn derived from Greek word for water- Neros, because of its natural habitat along rivers and streams. Because of this character of growing along the bays, it is also called Rose Bay.

The ancient city of Volubilis in Morocco, took its name from Walilt the Berber name of this oleander. (Berber or Amazigh language is an Afro-asiatic language)

Around 300 BCE Theophrastus in his book “Enquiries into Plants” described a shrub called Onotheras which modern editors render as Oleander.

Its original home is Mediterranean region and Arabian Peninsula. Now-a-days planted in many tropical and subtropical areas of the world.

Oleander is the official flower of Hiroshima, having been the first to bloom following atomic bombing of the city in 1945.

It is a strong drought tolerant shrub around 10 feet high, popularly used as ornamental plant. It blooms all the year round in large sprays massed closely at the ends of the branches.

Flowers are in deep rose, ligpink, white and light yellow colors with single, double and variegated forms.

Deep Rose Single Variant- Nerium 

Light Pink Single Variant- Nerium

Light Yellow Single Variant- Nerium

Light Pink Variegated Variant- Nerium 

Deep Rose Variegated Variant- Nerium  

White Double Variety- Nerium

Double Variant- a flower in flower

Single variety has five broad petals opening from a short tube, inside of which bands of stamen adhere and divide into several ragged segments.

5 Petals with adhered stamens in the center

Variegated petals with adhered stamens in the center 

Each bloom arises on a short stalk, lies in a small five cleft calyx and about 2 inches across.

Fruit is narrow long; cylinder shaped which split open at maturity to release numerous brown, silky seeds.

Light Yellow Flowers with fruits

Light Pink flower with a fruit

Stages of Reproduction- Bud, Flower and Fruit

Leaves are usually narrow and tapering and grow in whorls of three on very short stalks somewhat similar to leaves of yellow oleander (Thevetia nerrifolia).

Nerium on Left- Thevetia (Yellow Oleander) on right

Leaves are dark, dusty green above and paler below. The veining on underside barely shows on the upper surface.

Narrow pointed leaves- dusty green above and pale green below

Even though seeds are produced, preferred method of propagation is by cuttings.  

All parts of the plant are dangerously poisonous contain cardiac glycosides called Oleandrin and Oleandrigenin. These are left untouched by cattle and goats. Hence it is one of the preferred plants for decorating the highways. Death is reported even from food cooked using Oleander wood fires.

Interestingly, some invertebrates like Polk- dotted Wasp Moth, Common- Crow Butterfly and Oleander Hawk Month feed specifically feed on Oleanders and retain or modify toxins- making them unpalatable to potential predators.

Flowers are among those chosen by Hindus to offer to God Shiva.

Even though toxic the cardiac glycosides of Oleander have a little therapeutic index. These are used for treatment of Congestive Heart Failure in Chinese Oriental Medicine.

Miniature Light Pink Single variant- a rare form

 Oleander finds mention in our Ayurveda also. A paste made from the bark of its roots is a remedy for ringworm.