The Florida agriculturist., 1883-01-31
The OIeander.
rnell, in Floral Cabinet.

Ihe Natural OrQer, ApOcynaCeB,
embraces some OF the most beautiful,
as we'll as some of the most desirable
stove and greenhouse plants in cult
vation. To this Natural Order be-
longs the well-known Oieander. with
which most of us are familiar from
childhood. The Oleander (Nerlum
Oleander), is genus of beautiful
erect growing greenhouse shrubs,
attaining height of from five to
fifteen feet, with lanceolate, thick,
leathery leaves, producing their
handsome, various colored flowers in
great abundance and in large clusters
during the summer months. The
Oleander is very snowy plant, and
until of late much neglected one,
but recently the French florists have
given us a number OF new varieties
differing widely from the old in shape
and size as well as in the color OF
their flowers the original species
being "a native of Palestine, from
whence it was introduced in 1896.
The Oleander it is said, can be
found growing freely and in great
abundance in differ ent parts of the
South OF Europe, especially in the
Isle of Candida and Sicily, near rivu-
let's and water courses, while Kebel
describes it as clothing the banks of
the river Jordan with verdure, and
blooming at the overflow OF that
river, its roots being then wholly
immersed in water and in Palestine
it is always to be found wherever
river or water courses invite its
thirsty roots"
Whether grown in TIE greenhouse,
window.garden or flower border, the
Oleander is at all times deservedly
popular plant, or account of the ease
with which it is cultivated, as we'll as
the great variety in the color OF its
flowers. 1t Is plant that requires
good drainage, compost composed
of two parts we'll rotted sods, one
part wellrotted manure, with enough
sand added to render the compost
a porous and open one, and in pot
ting be careful to give them sufficient
pot room for their roots. During
the summer season, the plants (if
smallJ, can be planted out in the
fower>border, or plunged in a sunny
situation, care being taken to give
them at all times an abundant supply
OF water. They can also be winter
ed .:s; light cellar, where b,st iiis:le
water need be given them, but dur
ing the season of growth and flower.
ing, water must be abundantly sup
piled. M
Unfortunately, the Oleander. is
very subject to the white scale, and
on this account, it should be fre.
quently washed with water in which
whale oil soap has been dissolved in
the proportion of two ounces OF soap
to one gallon of water.
There are between fifty and sixty
named varieties OF the Oleander. but
the following are the most distinct,
and all of them well worthy place
in any collection of green house
pla its. 1t is we'll to bear in mind
that the flowers OF the double varies
ties on small plants are most fire.
quently semi double and of indistinct
colors.
Album grandiflorum-Very large
flowers of pure white color.
Atropurpureum plenum = Very
large double flowers, OF rich dark
purple color
Cardinale-The flowers Of this
variety are of ricn purple vermilicn
but lighter towards the centre OF the
petals; one of the finest dark, double
varieties in cultivation
Flavum duplex-A fine, free flow-
ering variety, with large, double,
yellow flowers.
Gloriosum-Large, very double
flowers OF brilliant cherry>crimson
color.
Henry Mares->Very double flowers
of delicate rose, lightly covered with
carmine.
Lutea-Single, yellow, tree flower
ing.
Lillian Henderson-This is the best
white Towering variety; flowers
double, very full petaled and rose>
like i'll form; small plants bloom
very freely.
Niadoni granditiora-Pure white
semi>double flowers OF great growth
one of the best.
Mad Chas. Baltel-Large, double
cherry carmlne flowers with frins-
Ell throat.
Purpureum simplex x--Simp e,