The Handbook on Oleanders

Commandant Barthélemy

When worshippers offer flowers at the altar they

are returning to the gods things which they know,

or (if they are not visionaries) obscurely feel, to be

indigenous to heaven.

Aldous Huxley

History and Geography

Distribution and Climatic Range

Tolerant of a wide range of soil and climatic conditions, oleanders are found naturally occurring near the Mediterranean Sea in northern Africa from Morocco through Algeria to Tunisia, in southern Europe along the Mediterranean coast from Gibraltar to Lebanon and Israel, and on islands in the Mediterranean such as Crete, Corfu, and Cyprus. Looking farther east, they are found again along the banks of the Tigris River from southeastern Turkey to the Iranian coast of the Persian Gulf, around the Gulf of Oman, inland in areas of Afghanistan and Pakistan, in India north of New Delhi, and in parts of western China and Japan.

A very adaptable species, oleanders are seen growing in open, full sun locations, in moist valleys along streams and seasonally dry watercourses, on sunny banks of mountain streams and in varying soil types. Usually indigenous in gravelly soils, they may also be found growing in sand and occasionally clay, tolerating both saline and alkaline conditions. Oleanders produce an extensive root system and are able to withstand long periods of drought as well as seasonal flooding. They grow in altitudes ranging from below sea level (in the Dead Sea area) to more than 8000 feet.

References to Oleander Cultivation in Ancient Times

Oleanders were found not only in ancient Greece but in Roman and Chinese gardens as well. "In China the cultivation of oleanders was a hobby of literary men who adorned their studies with cut oleander blooms," Pagen recounts in his book. They especially appreciated the scent of oleander flowers and the elegant habit of the plant, and chose the oleander as an emblem of grace and beauty. To describe the oleander, the Chinese use three characters, successively meaning 'mingle' 'bamboo,' and 'peach blossom.'"

Due to the preserving layers of volcanic ash from the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, we know that oleanders were also grown in the gardens of Pompeii. They

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 "It was known by the ancient Greeks and was described by Pliny as having rose-like flowers and poisonous qualities." Theophrastus' reference to a plant he called Oenothera (circa 330 B.C.) is believed by authorities to be the oleander since he described it as a plant with a red, rose-like flower and leaves similar to those of the almond. He also mentioned its poisonous qualities. The name "oleander" is not specifically used in the Bible but is thought to be the "rose" mentioned in the Old Testament in references such as, ". . . it is like the rose that was planted on the river. . . ." The "willows of the brook," also believed to be the oleander, are mentioned in Leviticus 23:40.

The Hebrew holy text the Talmud mentions the oleander numerous times, especially in the Mishnah, the first part, compiled around 200 A.D. In Rashi's translation we read, "Because Moses sweetened the sour water with it, it was a miracle within a miracle, as the oleander was also bitter." In Israel the oleander has beautified the landscape for centuries, growing in all locales from desert to mountains, in

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the plains and along the coast. Its fragrant flowers are produced abundantly from spring into fall.

Pagen mentions E. Hyams as stating in A History of Gardens and Gardening that the oleander, the myrtle and the rose were the only flowering shrubs used by Arab gardeners of the Dar-al-Islam in the twelfth century. In Tropica, a contemporary horticultural encyclopedia by Alfred B. Graf, we find an extraordinary photograph of a red-flowered oleander growing in a moonscape desert setting. Graf's caption reads: "Nerium oleander, "Oleander" at home in arid mountains of Yemen, Southern Arabia."

Introduction of Cultivated Oleanders

The history of the oleander's introduction into Europe is chronicled in a number of texts. Clarence Pleasants writes that it was first introduced into western Europe by the early Phoenicians. F.J.J. Pagen relates that for many years the only form was the single, odourless, pink or red-flowered Mediterranean variety until a white-flowered form was found growing in the wild in Crete in 1547 and was introduced to Italy. From John Gerard's The Herball, or Historic of Plants (1597), we know that he was growing a red and white form in England in 1596. In the late 1500's and early 1600's oleanders gained popularity in England, primarily as conservatory plants to be moved out only during the summer months. John Parkinson writes in his Paradisi in Sole, Paradisus Terrestris in 1629, that a plant grown from seed brought to him in England from Spain by "Master Doctor John More" had a stem "as bigge at the bottome as a good mans thumbe" and that in 1640 it was "as bigge below as a reasonable man's wrist."

Mrs. Isadore Dyer

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With the introduction in the late 1600's of single and double, pink flowered plants from India and Ceylon (Sri Lanka), scented oleanders made their debut. These were quickly spread to all parts of Europe and various references are found to double-flowered forms in pink and red, and even variegated double flowers. Around this same time there is also mention of a variegated-leaved form of the Mediterranean single pink and a yellow-flowered form from India. In the late 1700's and early 1800's it became evident that crosses between the Indian and Mediterranean forms were being cultivated. The first known reference to an oleander cultivar is found in the French catalog "Buc'hoz" of 1799. It introduced Nerium 'Album', a vigorous and free-flowering variety. Pagen writes, "In 1840 Bosse mentions 36 cultivars; in 1849 he lists 58." During the late 1800's, Claude Sahut of Montpelier, France, worked extensively on oleanders and by 1898 had developed 170 cultivars.

Oleanders were first introduced to the United States in 1565 by Spaniards who founded St. Augustine in Florida. Early immigrants to America brought with them the double rose variety as well as white-flowered cultivars. These were handed down from generation to generation and treasured as a connection to their past. According to Elizabeth Head of the International Oleander Society, the oleander was especially popular among the Pennsylvania Dutch and could be found from the Shenandoah Valley to the valley of the Delaware and westward to Kansas. We know that early settlers carried plants with them to California where they found growing conditions in many parts of the state so ideal that oleanders are now used extensively for landscaping in low-maintenance situations such as highways and freeways. In fact, the longest flowering season on record is in the desert areas of California where oleanders can be found in bloom from May through December. Perhaps these

Mrs. Trueheart

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same settlers, on route to California, were responsible for introducing the oleander to Nevada. Elizabeth Head reports that today oleanders are one of the most popular plants for landscaping and median plantings throughout Las Vegas. Many oleander varieties were brought from France and Morocco to Louisiana when it was still a French territory and they remain one of the most traditional of southern garden shrubs, gracing the formal but lush gardens of antebellum mansions as well as modern buildings in cities and towns along the gulf coast.

Our friend Jim Nicholas tells us that in the northeast, especially in the area of Connecticut where he lives, it is very common to see oleanders planted in large pots and tubs on decks or porches or even in front of shops where they bloom and grow magnificently. Observing that many residents are of Mediterranean origin, it seems likely that the plants are a reminder of their heritage and some have no doubt been propagated from cuttings brought to the United States from the old country by family members in years past.

The following vignette from Clarence Pleasants indicates the early presence of oleanders in the South Pacific:

Historians trace the origin of Galveston's oleander to the South Sea Islands. Early in the British occupancy of the West Indies, the story goes, colonial governors sought to add the choicest fruits and the most beautiful flowers in the world to those already growing in profusion in the islands. Convinced that the soil and climate were unequaled, these gentlemen decided that the islands should be the beauty spot of which ancients had dreamed and masters of ships were charged to keep watch at every landing place for luscious fruits and beautiful flowers, and to bring back plants and seeds for transplanting. A captain of one of these vessels returning one day from the South Sea Islands brought with him a number of young oleanders. They were planted and the next spring the first oleander blossoms seen north of the equator added their delicate colors to the blooms of West Indian gardens. The South Sea Rose was the name then given it.

A friend of many years Genevieve Schutt who grew up near Sydney remembers oleanders being abundant in gardens in Australia, sometimes planted as individual shrubs and often as hedgerows. Her childhood memories include a large planting that surrounded a meadow in which she kept her horse. It was a single, rose-flowered variety common to the area with large clusters of intensely fragrant flowers which her horse would sniff, but seeming to understand the poisonous nature of the plant, never attempted to eat.

It is not clear at what period in history or by which route oleanders arrived in Central and South America but they have clearly flourished in many areas where the hot climate and arid conditions are ideal. We have seen them in full bloom in Mexico City, thriving in air pollution that had our eyes burning within minutes of landing at the airport. Around Cuernavaca, a lovely town in the mountains outside Mexico City where the days are hot, nights are cool and the air very dry oleanders and bougainvilleas appeared to be favorite plants among the residents as there was hardly a garden without them, always in magnificent bloom. During a week spent diving

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on Ambergris Cay, a small island off the coast of Belize, we found oleanders thriving where few other plants would grow, not surprising since the island seemed made entirely of sand. On the Virgin Islands, too, oleanders are one of the mainstays in resort landscapes and private gardens alike, especially in the xerophytic conditions of some islands such as St. Maartin. On a recent trip which included Jamaica and Grand Cayman, we saw and photographed a wide variety of oleanders, from dwarf to tall, with many in full bloom in the middle of winter, some with ripe or ripening fruits, and others bearing both fruits and flower clusters at the same time.

Medicinal, Economic and Decorative Uses

The oleander in all its parts, roots, bark, leaves and flowers, has been utilized for medicinal purposes for centuries, especially in India and China. It has been used internally since early times as a cardiac stimulant having an effect similar to digitalis, as an antispasmodic, an abortifacient and as an antivenin. Its primary uses have been external applications as a salve (made from the leaves) and a paste (from the roots) to treat a variety of skin ailments including problems such as boils, rashes, lice, scorpion and snake bites, ringworm, scabies, headache, swellings, fevers, fungal infections, leprosy and herpes. In folk

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Mrs. Robertson

Although oleander flowers tend to wilt fairly rapidly, with proper care they make excellent corsages and leis as well as lovely floral arrangements utilizing stems with full inflorescences.

Always cut flowers and branches in the early morning or, if this is not possible, late evening. Place branches in deep, warm (not hot) water in which a flower preservative has been added. These water-soluble products are effective in extending the life of cut flowers and we recommend them highly. Be sure to remove all leaves below the water line to prevent them from rotting. Do not use water treated with a water softener. Place cut flowers in the refrigerator or a cool place until ready for display.

As with plumerias, there are many ways to fashion leis and garlands using a needle and thread. Indulge your creativity by mixing flowers of different colors, or even different kinds of flowers with the oleander blossoms. As a general rule, single flowers are more satisfactory since they tend to remain fresh longer than double flowered forms. One should experiment with a number of cultivars to determine keeping quality. Good flower substance (thickness of the petals) is often an indicator of longer lasting blossoms.

Cultural and Religious Symbolism

People have used oleander flowers for making leis and garlands for centuries. This was a tradition during Roman times and is equally so today in countries as far apart as India and the United States. In the 1800's, when oleanders were a status symbol, corsages and clusters of the blossoms were popular among ladies who used them to adorn their dresses.

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According to Marie C. Neal in her book. In Gardens of Hawaii, " The Moors attribute great magical virtue to 'the sultan of the oleander', which is a stalk with four pairs of leaves clustered around it."

Clarence Pleasants relates, in his inimitable style, this poignant story about the oleander in his pamphlet on the genus, written March 17,1967:

There is a touching legend about the oleander and a pair of young lovers. Leander went to sea and his sweetheart would walk along the seashore watching for the return of his ship. After a dreadful storm she learned his ship had been wrecked and all on board lost.

On moonlight nights the sad young girl would walk among the flowering shrubs in her father's garden crying, "Oh! Leander," over and over again. Feeling life unbearable without Leander she picked a spray of exotic shrubs and walked into the sea. On finding her with a spray of flowers clutched in her hand people began calling the shrub Oh! Leander.

With its exotic loveliness and heady fragrance, sometimes intoxicatingly sweet, sometimes almost bitter, this old world flower has a cruel duplicity, for in its stalk, leaves and even in the delicate blossoms is contained a poison which in large quantities can be fatal to men and animals.

To be lovely, to be admired is its sole purpose and in this it contributes indescribably to man's pleasure.

In an excellent article in Nerium News (Pall '90), entitled "Legends of the Oleander," Dr. Edith Box offers this version of the same story:

 Henry Rosenberg

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In keeping with the Mediterranean origin of the oleander, one legend has it that oleander in Greek mythology means romance and charm. Abeautiful Greek maiden was wooed by Leander who swam the Hellespont every night to see his beloved. One night he was drowned in a tempest. Wild waves dashed his body against sharp rocks and left him lifeless on the white sands. Here his lover found him as she walked the shores calling "Oh Leander, Oh Leander." A beautiful flower was clutched in his hand. She removed it and kept it as a symbol of their love. Magically it continued to grow and from this symbol of everlasting love came the beautiful and abundant oleander.

  Pink Beauty

Dr. Box continues with several more stories that we are pleased to include:

In 1915, Charles M. Skinner published another legend concerning St. Joseph and the oleander in a local paper. It seems that a poor but lovely Spanish girl lay ill of a fever. Her mother tried all that her meager resources permitted to cure her daughter, but to no avail. Exhausted by her desperate efforts, the mother fell to her knees to pray to St. Joseph to spare her child. When she arose, the room was filled with a rosy glow from a figure bent over the girl. A strange man of noble demeanor placed on her breast a branch consisting of pink unfading flowers from paradise. As the rosy light faded, the mother rose to thank the noble stranger but he had disappeared and she was alone with her daughter who was sleeping soundly for the first time since she became ill. The mother again

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knelt to give thanks and since that day the oleander has been known as the flower of St. Joseph.

......

Another legend involving the buccaneer, Jean Lafitte, in the establishment of oleanders on Galveston Island is less romantic. In the pursuit of his pirate's craft, Lafitte had attacked a Norwegian schooner and killed all the passengers except for one man who was clinging to a beautiful flowering plant. His name was Ole Andersen; Lafitte saved him and made him his gardener calling him Ole Ander. He later honored him by calling his flower by the same name.

.......

Two traditional uses of the oleander come from different parts of the world. In India, Hindu mourners place oleanders about the bodies of dead relatives using the blooms as funeral flowers. In Germany, on the other side of the globe, women have a tradition of placing potted oleanders outside the kitchen window for good luck.

Oleander flowers are used in worship in many parts of the world. The Hindus offer the flowers to Shiva, the god of destruction

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 Through her courage and inspiration, which Tagore symbolizes with the red oleander, the men awaken to their plight and also to the idea of freedom.

In Xanadu did Kubla Khan

A stately pleasure-dome decree

Where Alph, the sacred river, ran

Through caverns measureless to man

Down to a sunless sea.

So twice five miles of fertile ground

With walls and towers were girdled round:

And there were gardens bright with sinuous rills,

Where blossomed many an incense-bearing tree;

And here were forests ancient as the hills,

Enfolding sunny spots of greenery.

Samuel Taylor Coleridge.

Kubal Khan

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