Nerium oleander Blanc

Nerium oleander 'Blanc' is a very beautiful evergreen bush from mild climates, easy to cultivate and resistant to drought. This variety offers an abundant flowering in the form of pure white flower bouquets, slightly scented, from May to October if the soil remains moist. The oleander is not demanding regarding the nature of the soil and possesses astonishing abilities to adapt to the most difficult conditions; its only weakness is its rather mediocre hardiness, especially during its young years. Its cultivation in open ground is reserved for regions that do not experience excessively cold winters. An excellent conservatory plant, it will delight Mediterranean plant enthusiasts throughout the summer, planted in a large pot on a terrace.

The numerous cultivars of oleander available on the horticultural market are most often hybrids between Nerium oleander subsp. oleander, which is spontaneous around the Mediterranean, and the highly fragrant N. oleander subsp. indicum, which is spontaneous from Iran to China. They offer an almost infinite range of shades, from white to pink, yellow and salmon, red, and even mauve. Only the blue shade is absent.

Nerium oleander is an evergreen bush from the Apocynaceae family, just like periwinkles or false jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides). The 'Blanc' cultivar, selected by Minier nurseries, is part of a series of particularly floriferous hybrids. It naturally forms a bush with a dense and bushy habit, branching near the base, multi-stemmed, with a generally rounded shape. It will reach an average height of 3 m (9.8 ft) and a spread of 2 m (6.6 ft) at maturity, with rapid growth. Its flexible branches, covered with grey bark, bear long evergreen leaves, thick and leathery, with a slightly bluish-green colour and a lighter underside. They measure 10 cm to 15 cm (3.9 in to 5.9 in) in length and 3 cm (1.2 in) in width. In case of intense drought, the oleander loses some of its older leaves, located at the base of the stems. Flowering takes place in spring and again from late summer to autumn, or from spring to autumn depending on the climate, lasting for 4 to 5 months in moist soil. The flowers, composed of a tube opening into 5 petals, are wide and measure 3 cm to 4 cm (1.2 in to 1.6 in) in width, with a snowy white colour. They are gathered in very dense corymbs, mainly at the terminal part of the branches that are 1 or 2 years old. This nectar-bearing and honey-producing flowering is followed by the formation of long reddish pods that burst when ripe, releasing a multitude of small seeds with a cluster of white bristles, scattered by the wind. Be careful not to prune the oleander too severely: only stems that have reached a certain length bear flowers!

Nerium oleander is an excellent hedge plant by the sea, but also a magnificent specimen to plant in isolation in a warm location. Hardy down to - 8° C to -10° C (17.6° F to 14° F) once well established, it will grow without any problem in any ordinary but well-drained soil. It can also be used as a hedge, by regularly pruning it, combined with other evergreen bushes such as Laurustinus, Elaeagnus ebbingei, Mexican Orange, myrtles, and even Grevillea. In mild climates, it can be trained as a small tree by selecting the most beautiful stem from the start and allowing it to branch out at a height of 1.5 m to 2 m (4.9 ft to 6.6 ft) from the ground. The resulting specimens are particularly ornamental, but require a very mild winter that will not cause them to be cut back to the ground: it would be a shame if severe frost were to destroy several years of work in just a few hours! On a terrace, it will thrive in a large pot, alongside citrus trees, Grevillea, and other oleanders. This cultivation method allows the tree to be stored in a very bright, cool but frost-free room in our very cold regions.

The genus name, Nerium, is said to come from its ancient Greek name, Nerion, derived from Nereus, a sea god from Greek mythology. Another interpretation links Nerium to neros, which means moist in Greek. The underlying liquid element in these two interpretations is undoubtedly explained by the fact that the wild oleander never grows very far from water. Its long roots anchor deeply in the soil to draw freshness, even on the slopes of gorges or in the beds of dried-up rivers. As proof of its incredible drought resistance, in arid regions such as the Negev in Israel or the south of the Anti-Atlas in Morocco, Nerium oleander is one of the few bushes, along with Acacia and Retama (a type of broom), capable of facing the desert, anchored in the walls of ravines.