Nerium oleander Emilie

The 'Emilie' Oleander is a descendant of Nerium oleander, a vigorous evergreen bush emblematic of Mediterranean gardens. This particularly floriferous variety blooms continuously from June to October if the soil remains moist, with single flowers of a soft and bright light pink. They are grouped in generous clusters, highlighted by elegant dark green foliage, attractive even outside the flowering period. Undemanding, easy to grow in any well-drained soil, resistant to sea spray as well as drought, its only weak point is its rather mediocre hardiness, especially during its early years. Cultivation in open ground should be reserved for regions that do not experience very cold winters. It can also be used in the composition of large, elegant and multicoloured hedges in combination with other varieties, and will impress in a large pot on the terrace or balcony, or in a small garden throughout the season.

The many cultivars of oleander available on the horticultural market are most often hybrids between Nerium oleander subsp. oleander, spontaneous around the Mediterranean, and Nerium oleander subsp. indicum, very fragrant, spontaneous from Iran to China. Their flowers are single, double, or even triple and offer an almost infinite palette of tones, from white to pink through yellow and salmon, red, and even mauve. Only the blue shade is absent.

The Nerium oleander is an evergreen bush of the Apocynaceae family, like periwinkles or the false jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides). 'Emilie' naturally forms a bush with a dense and bushy habit, ramified near the base, multi-stemmed, with an overall rounded habit. Vigorous, it will reach an average maturity of 3m50 (12 ft) in height and 3m (10 ft) in spread, with rapid growth. Its flexible branches, covered with grey bark, bear long evergreen leaves, thick and leathery, a bit bluish on their lighter underside. They measure 10 to 15cm (4 to 6 in) in length by 3cm (1.2 in) in width. In the case of intense drought Nerium loses some of its oldest leaves, those located at the base of the stems. Flowering takes place in spring and then again from the end of summer to autumn, or continuously over 4 to 5 months from spring to autumn in the right climate, in fresh soil. The flowers are composed of a tube flaring into 5 light pink petals, alongside thin and turbinate buds. They are gathered in corymbs, mainly at the terminal part of branches aged 1 or 2 years. This flowering, nectar-rich and honey producing, is followed by the formation of long reddish pods which burst when ripe, releasing a multitude of small seeds provided with a tuft of white bristles to be scattered by the wind. Be careful not to prune oleander too severely: only the stems that have reached a certain length bear flowers!

Symbol of resistance and generosity, Nerium oleander makes an excellent hedge plant by the sea, but also a magnificent standalone plant in a sunny site. Hardy down to -8/-10°C (17.6/14 °F) once well established, it will grow without problem in any ordinary but well-drained soil. It can be used as a hedge by pruning it regularly, combined with other evergreen bushes like Laurustinus, Elaeagnus ebbingei, Mexican Orange, myrtles, Pittosporum tobira or Grevillea. In a mild climate it can be trained as a small tree: select the best stem and bring that up to 1m50 or 2m (5 to 7 ft) from the ground before letting it branch out. The resulting subjects are particularly ornamental but require very mild winters that won't risk having to cut them back to the ground: you don't want to see several years of work destroyed by frost in a few hours! On the terrace it can live in a large pot, in the company of citrus trees, Grevillea and other oleanders. This allows the tree to be stored in a very bright, fresh but frost-free room over winter in very cold regions.

The genus name 'Nerium' may come from the ancient Greek name Nerion, derived from Nereus, a sea god of Greek mythology. Another interpretation sees Nerium coming from neros, which means "wet" in Greek. The liquid element common to both interpretations is probably explained by the fact that wild oleander never grows very far from water. Its long roots anchor deeply into the soil to draw moisture, even on the sides of gorges or the beds of dried-up rivers. As proof of its incredible resistance to drought, in arid regions like the Negev in Israel or the southern Anti-Atlas in Morocco, Nerium oleander is one of the only bushes (along with Acacia and Retama, a kind of broom) capable of surviving in the desert, anchored in the walls of ravines.