My cutting that I got last fall while we were in Texas just bloomed. It is just beautiful!!! It is almost a florescent pink and my favorite a double. I was very surprised that I was able to get it to flower this year.
I hope when we drive across Texas this fall I don't forget my clippers. Texas has just beautiful oleander a flower that I think is most under rated!
Mickeyaz
oleander
It is gorgeous, isn't it? And you are aware it is highly poisonous?
just don't eat it!
I heard about some campers (and yes, it may well be an urban legend; I have not put it through Snopes) that used the sticks to roast either hot dogs or marshmallows and it killed them. I do need to check that out.
But I do love oleanders. Just don't use the sticks to get the dog to fetch.
http://www.snopes.com/horrors/poison/oleander.asp
Apparently a cautionary tale!
OMG! wouldn't doubt it a bit! I know to only use a hardwood stick to touch food-the resin in pine will get ya too, chuckl, IF you can keep it from torching that close to heat, and NO wood to cook food that has had poison ivy/oak growing on it, nor poisoned off of it.
For me, camping equipment includes metal skewers!
It never ceases to amaze me how people freak out when they find out a plant is "poison"! A friend in Los Angeles who breeds dogs and has since the 60's had her back yard lined with orleanders.. I commented on how pretty they were. Someone told her they were poisonous.. she suddenly panicked.. called a company and paid hundreds of $$'s to have them cut out! I asked her why??? She said because they were so dangerous!!! I asked how many of the hundreds of puppies she had raised over the years had gotten sick or died from them... answer... NONE! She was a well known breeder with several litters all the time.. never a problem but let someone say something and PANIC! I have had puppies and dogs around orleanders most of my life and never had a problem.. children too. It is not a plant that kids or animals are prone to eat... I haven't ever been tempted to take a bite either.
Tammie
I know what you mean...It is so funny how some people Panic at the thought of a plant being poison. I have Brugs, Poke weed, Oleanders and I am sure a lot of others. If people would check the list of poisonous plants they would be digging up 3/4th of the world. I am not afraid of poisonous plants because I don't go around chewing on my plants.
We had a guest over for a party and he told me the story of when he was helping harvest daffodils to be sold as cut flowers. His skin became raw and had to see a doctor. Daffodils are poisonous if you get enough on them on your skin.
MickeyAZ