Along with the blue sky and the sea, the hot sun, the scent of wild herbs, and the shrill song of the cicada, the bright pink clouds of oleander flowers also belong to the Mediterranean. An image of its landscape without the oleander would be unthinkable. But in other southern latitudes as well, all around the globe, people decorate the places they live with oleander blossoms, whether it be along the highways under the rising sun, on promenades along the beaches of the Caribbean, or in the mountainous heights of Mexico.
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In the north, where winters bring ice and snow, indeed the oleander grows only in flowerpots or in large tubs; however, in solariums and greenhouses, it blooms even during the cold seasons. The great enthusiasm for oleanders today came from Central Europe. It began in the 60’s when people from the north started traveling to Southern Europe in massive waves. The oleander became the embodiment of “sun and vacation”. People wanted to bring something of this feeling back home, and thus many, many oleander cuttings traveled over the Alps in suitcases. There, the blossoms of the oleander kept the yearning for the South alive.
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In northern and central Europe, the oleander as a container plant climbed its way to first place on the popularity list. That has not changed today. No patio or balcony can be without its “Symbol of the South”. Today, the oleander is sold in every supermarket there. However, the variety of cultivars and colors can only be obtained from specialist nurseries. The oleander is not a “carefree” plant in cold climate zones. Apart from sunny summers, which are a matter of luck, the oleander enthusiast needs to know something about its care.
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It is possible that the oleander’s journey through time began in the darkness of prehistory, and that it led through changing climates caused by catastrophes, or alternating periods of cold and warmth which defined its development and range. The fact is that a type of oleander with a single, non-fragrant pink blossom occurs all around the Mediterranean. It is assumed that the plant with the pink clouds of blossoms came from Asia Minor, the eastern Mediterranean region, and the coasts of the Black Sea.
With this beautiful flower there comes also a drawback with it. Be aware of its toxicity!
