Nerium oleander Italia

The 'Italia' Oleander is a descendant of Nerium oleander, a vigorous evergreen bush that is emblematic of Mediterranean gardens. This particularly floriferous variety produces single flowers in a range of intense pink to light red hues, continuously blooming from June to October as long as the soil remains moist. The flowers are grouped in generous clusters, highlighted by an elegant dark green foliage that remains attractive even when not in bloom. Easy to grow in any well-drained soil, resistant to salt spray and drought, its only weakness is its rather poor hardiness, especially during its early years. It is best suited for regions with mild winters. It can be used to create elegant and multicoloured hedges when combined with other varieties, and it thrives in large pots on terraces, balconies, or even in small gardens throughout the summer.

The numerous cultivars of Oleander available on the horticultural market are mostly hybrids between Nerium oleander subsp. oleander, found spontaneously around the Mediterranean, and Nerium oleander subsp. indicum, highly fragrant and native from Iran to China. Their flowers can be single, double, or even triple, and come in an almost infinite range of colours, from white to pink, yellow, salmon, red, and even mauve. Blue is the only colour that is absent.

Nerium oleander is an evergreen bush belonging to the Apocynaceae family, just like periwinkles or false jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides). 'Italia' naturally forms a bushy and branching specimen, with multiple stems and a generally rounded shape. It grows vigorously, reaching an average height of 3.5m (11ft 6in) with a spread of 3m (9ft 10in), and has a rapid growth rate. Its flexible branches, covered with grey bark, bear long, thick, and leathery evergreen leaves that are slightly bluish green on the upper side and lighter on the underside. They measure 10 to 15cm (3.9 to 5.9in) in length and 3cm (1.2in) in width. In periods of intense drought, Nerium sheds some of its leaves, particularly the older ones near the base of the stems. The flowering occurs in spring and again from late summer to autumn, or continuously from spring to autumn depending on the climate, lasting 4 to 5 months in moist soil. The flowers are composed of a tube that opens into 5 intense pink petals and are accompanied by slender and turbinate buds. They are grouped in corymbs, mainly at the terminal part of 1 or 2-year-old branches. This nectar-rich and honey-producing flowering is followed by the formation of long reddish pods that burst open when ripe, releasing numerous small seeds equipped with a cluster of white bristles, dispersed by the wind. Be careful not to prune Oleander too severely: only stems that have reached a certain length will bear flowers!

Symbol of resilience and generosity, Nerium oleander is an excellent hedge plant by the seaside, but also a magnificent specimen to plant in a warm location. Once well-established, it is hardy down to -8/-10°C (17.6/14 °F) and will grow easily in any ordinary well-drained soil. It can also be used as a hedge, by regularly pruning it and combining it with other evergreen shrubs such as Bay Laurel, Elaeagnus ebbingei, Mexican Orange Blossom, Myrtus, Pittosporum tobira, and even Grevillea. In mild climates, it can be trained as a small tree by selecting the most beautiful stem and allowing it to grow to a height of 1.5m (4ft 11in) or 2m (6ft 7in) before branching out. The resulting specimens are particularly ornamental, but they require a very mild winter that will not cause them to die back to the ground: it would be a shame to see several years of work destroyed by a severe frost in just a few hours! On the terrace, it can be placed 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, frost-free location in very cold regions.

The genus name, Nerium, is believed to come from its ancient Greek name, Nerion, derived from Nereus, a sea god in Greek mythology. Another interpretation links Nerium to neros, which means wet in Greek. The underlying liquid element in these two interpretations is likely explained by the fact that the wild Oleander never grows far from water. Its long roots anchor deep into the ground to draw in coolness, even on the slopes of gorges or in the beds of dried-up rivers. As proof of its incredible drought tolerance, in arid regions such as the Negev in Israel or the southern Anti-Atlas Mountains in Morocco, the Nerium Oleander is one of the few shrubs, along with Acacia and Retama (a type of broom), that can withstand the desert, clinging to the walls of ravines.