- Outstanding beauties: tropical oleander and plumeria
- Closely related: desert rose and Christ's thorn
- Similar but not poisonous: weigela and camellia
Oleander (Nerium oleander) is a popular ornamental plant that brings a Mediterranean flair to the garden or balcony and terrace with its lush growth and the wonderful magic of flowers. However, the shrub from the dog milk family is, firstly, highly poisonous and, secondly, not necessarily uncomplicated in terms of care and keeping. For this reason, it sometimes makes sense to look around for a similar plant.
The desert rose is related to the oleander
Outstanding beauties: tropical oleander and plumeria
Closely related to the Mediterranean oleander is its tropical cousin, the tropical oleander (Thevetia peruviana), also known as the bell tree. This ornamental shrub, which originates from Central and South America, can grow up to five meters high and looks very similar to the European oleander on the outside - however, the tropical plant has bright yellow flowers and the leaves are lighter and also narrower. In contrast to the oleander, the Schellenbaum can hibernate at around 15 °C and warmer in the living room, in summer the plant is best on the balcony. Plumeria, also known as temple trees or frangipani, are also very similar to oleanders, but with interesting multicolored flowers. These also come from the subtropical and tropical regions of Central America and are also widespread in Polynesia.
Closely related: desert rose and Christ's thorn
Other plants from the spurge and dog milk family are also very closely related to oleanders. These include, for example, the very interesting desert rose (Adenium obesum), which stands out due to its extraordinarily thick trunk and the enchanting flowers. Desert roses are also poisonous, but due to the fact that they are succulents, they are much easier to care for than oleanders. The poisonous spurge plant Christ's thorn Christ's thorn (Euphorbia milii) is also succulent, i. H. it stores water and can therefore do without regular watering for a while.
Similar but not poisonous: weigela and camellia
On the other hand, if you're looking for non-toxic alternatives to the oleander, check out the weigela and camellia. These beautiful flowering shrubs are in no way inferior to the oleander, but can be safely cultivated in a household with pets and/or small children.
tips
Not exactly similar to oleanders, but still a wonderful Mediterranean plant is the climbing shrub bougainvillea, which with its numerous flowers is ideal for balconies or trellises.