Is oleander actually poisonous? With a complete picture gallery

Oleander is an ornamental flower with relatively large blooms and a very long flowering period; it blooms almost all year round, especially in summer, when flowering is at its most abundant. Oleander is cultivated in many places in China and is commonly planted in parks, along roads and by lakesides to beautify the environment. Now some friends also grow it in pots at home, so is oleander poisonous? What are the key points for growing it in pots? With a complete picture gallery.

1. Is oleander poisonous?

Oleander is highly toxic, and the whole plant is toxic: the roots, stems, leaves, flowers and fruit are all highly toxic, posing a risk of accidental ingestion for humans and animals, so oleander should not be planted near wells or drinking water ponds. Moreover, the fragrance of oleander flowers has adverse effects on people, such as drowsiness and impaired mental function. Oleander fungus: a highly toxic milky white liquid secreted by the stems, leaf bark, flowers and fruit of oleander; excessive contact by people can easily lead to cancers of the respiratory and digestive systems.

Oleander poisoning manifests as nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, slow heartbeat or tachycardia, fever, difficulty breathing, cyanosis, blurred vision, red rash around the mouth and other digitalis poisoning symptoms, and may even cause fainting, convulsions, coma and ectopic heart rhythm.

2. Key points for growing potted oleander

1. Temperature conditions

In winter, the room temperature must be kept above 15°C for oleander to bloom. Oleander planted outdoors in the north needs to be wrapped with straw mulch for insulation to prevent freezing and cold, and the cold protection material should be removed around Qingming Festival.

2. Soil requirements

Oleander is highly adaptable to soil; sandy loam and fertile soil are both acceptable. Of course, if conditions permit, choose loose, fertile loam for planting as far as possible. It can even grow well in poor soil. For potted oleander, the soil can be a mix of leaf mold, coarse sand and garden soil in a 1:1.5:1.5 ratio.

3. Watering method

In spring, water once a day; in summer, twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening, to keep the water content in the pot at around 50%. In winter, water less, but still keep the water content in the pot at around 40%, and the leaves should also be washed with clean water. Improper watering can easily cause leaf drop, flower drop and even death. Do not always spray water on the leaves; water at the root and stem instead.

4. Fertilization key points

Fertilize before Qingming Festival; water-fermented soybean cake can be applied about once every ten days. For autumn fertilization, apply soybean cake water, peanut cake water or chicken manure about once every ten days. Without the above fertilizers, decomposed human urine can be used, of course diluted 5-7 times, poured along the edge of the pot until submerged. The principle for applying this type of nitrogen-rich fertilizer is thin, light, little and frequent, to prevent the roots from being burned.

5. Pruning technique

Branches and leaves can be pruned after spring rain, between July and August, in October and in winter. If you want it to bloom indoors, keep the indoor temperature at around 15°C, and it needs sunlight. After flowering, it must also be pruned immediately; otherwise, there will be few flowers, they will be very small, or it may not bloom at all.