Nerium oleander Salmon

Nerium oleander 'Salmon' is a vigorous evergreen bush. It produces multitudes of salmon pink flowers continuously from June to October if the soil remains moist. They are grouped in generous bouquets at the end of the branches, enhanced by an elegant dark green foliage, which is attractive even when not in bloom. Easy to grow in any well-drained soil, it is resistant to sea spray as well as drought. It is best reserved for regions spared from severe frost when grown in the ground. It forms large, elegant and multicoloured hedges when combined with other varieties and stands out in a large pot on a terrace, balcony, or even in a small garden throughout the summer.

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

Nerium oleander is an evergreen bush from the Apocynaceae family, just like periwinkles or false jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides). The 'Salmon' cultivar, obtained by Minier nurseries, is part of a series of particularly floriferous hybrids. It naturally forms a bushy and branching shrub, with multiple stems and a generally rounded habit. It will reach an average height of 3.5m (12ft) with a spread of 2.5m (8ft) at maturity, with rapid growth. Its flexible branches are covered with grey bark, and bear long, thick, and leathery evergreen leaves, with a slightly bluish-green colour and lighter undersides. They measure 10 to 15cm (4 to 6in) in length and 3cm (1in) in width. It will lose some of its oldest leaves towards the base of the stems during periods of intense drought. Flowering occurs in spring and again from late summer to autumn, or continuously from spring to autumn depending on the climate, for 4 to 5 months in moist soil. The flowers, composed of a tube opening into 5 petals, are a pastel salmon pink colour, and are surrounded by thin and turbinate buds. The flowers are gathered 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 at maturity, releasing a multitude of small seeds with a bouquet of white bristles, dispersed by the wind. Be careful not to prune too severely: only stems that have reached a certain length bear flowers!

Nerium oleander 'Salmon' is a magnificent specimen to plant in a warm location. Hardy down to -8 to -10°C (17.6 to 14°F) once well-established, it will thrive in any ordinary but well-drained soil. It can also be used as a hedge alongside other evergreen shrubs such as Bay Laurel, Elaeagnus ebbingei, Mexican Orange, myrtles, 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 branch out at a height of 1.5m (5ft) or 2m (7ft) 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 pity if severe frost were to destroy several years of work in just a few hours! It will thrive on a terrace in a large pot, alongside citrus trees, Grevillea, and other oleanders. This cultivation method allows the tree to be stored in a bright, cool but frost-free location in cold regions.

The genus name, Nerium, is said 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 moist in Greek. The underlying liquid element in both interpretations is probably explained by the fact that wild oleander never grows far from water. Its long roots anchor deeply into the ground to draw in moisture, even on the slopes of gorges or in dried-up river beds. To demonstrate its drought resistance, Nerium oleander is one of the few shrubs, along with Acacia and Retama (a type of broom), capable of withstanding the desert.