Thevetia peruviana

The Thevetia peruviana, the Peruvian Thevetia, is a bush from the tropical regions of Central and South America, also known as yellow laurel or yellow oleander due to its resemblance to our oleander (including its toxicity). With a bushy habit, it has an airy silhouette and bears shiny, evergreen foliage that is harmoniously distributed on its stems. It forms a beautiful setting for its very long fragrant flowering in shades of yellow, melon, and apricot. It is best grown in open ground in the most sheltered gardens, where it never freezes. Elsewhere, it can be cultivated in a large pot and makes a beautiful exotic plant to adorn the terrace or balcony during the summer and a veranda maintained at 15-16°C (59-60.8°F) in winter.

The Thevetia peruviana (synonym Cascabela thevetia) is an evergreen bush from the family Apocynaceae, just like periwinkles or star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides). Like many plants in this family, it is toxic when ingested and the latex it contains can cause skin irritations. In the Caribbean, it is called "Bois à lait" because of the white latex that flows from broken branches or leaves. The origins of this yellow laurel can be found in the tropical regions of America, from northern Mexico to northeastern Argentina. The plant grows in areas where temperatures range from 17 to 37 °C (62.6 to 98.6°F), on seasonally moist to dry soils.

The Peruvian Thevetia is a fast-growing shrub with a bushy and airy habit that usually reaches 2m (7ft) in height and 1m (3ft) in width when grown in a pot. Its leaves are elongated, thin, leathery, and measure 8 to 16 cm (3 to 6in) long and 0.5 to 1.5 cm (1in) wide. The upper surface of the lamina is very bright green and glossy. They are arranged in whorls, which means in small groups, on the stems. Flowering usually starts in June and lasts until October. Each flower lasts only one day, but they continuously renew themselves on the plant. The flowers are grouped in 6 to 8 units at the end of the branches. They are slightly trailing, 4 to 6 cm (2in) long, bell-shaped or funnel-shaped. Tubular at the base, they are composed of petals arranged in a spiral. Their color ranges from yellow to orange. This fragrant flowering attracts bees and other pollinators. The fleshy and triangular fruit measures 2.5 to 3.5 cm (1in) long and 2.1 to 4.5 cm (1 to 2in) in diameter. It is red and turns a shiny black color.

The yellow laurel is mainly used as a plant for a conservatory or heated greenhouse that can be taken outside during the summer. It is a rewarding exotic bush, relatively easy to grow as long as it is not exposed to cold temperatures. It will delight enthusiasts of Brugmansias, Tibouchina, Mimosas, and other tropical palms.