NERIUM (Nerium indicum Mill.)
Apocynaceae
Varieties
Tall types : Single Rose, Single White, Single Red, Double types.
Dwarf types : Petite Salmon, Petite Pink.
Climate: Tropical and subtropical conditions.
Soil
Red lateritic or black or loamy soils with adequate drainage are suitable for nerium cultivation.
Propagation and planting
Hard or semi hard woodcuttings of 60 cm length are used for planting. Their ends are buried inside the soil forming an arch. Rooted cuttings can also be planted in the normal manner during June to July in 30 cm x 30 cm x 30 cm pits dug at 2 x 2 m spacing and filled with FYM, red earth and top soil.
Aftercultivation
The plants are irrigated as and when required and manured with 10 t FYM/ha during January and again in August. No chemical fertilizers are normally applied.
Nutrition: FYM @ 20 t /ha is applied in 2 equal splits during January and August.
Pruning:
1st year- remove one third of old mature stems near ground level.
2nd year- remove one half of the remaining old stems and cut back long new shoots.
3rd year- remove remaining old stems and cut back long new shoots.
Biofertilizers: Soil application of2 kg each of Azospirillum and Phosphobacteria per ha at the time of planting. It is to be mixed with 100kg of FYM and applied in pits.
Irrigation: The plants are irrigated once in 10 - 15 days depending on the weather conditions.
Plant protection
Pests and diseases
No serious pests or diseases are found to affect this crop.
Leaf Caterpillar
Spray Quinalphos 25 EC 1 ml/lit or Phosalone 35 EC 1 ml/lit to control the pests.
Flowering season
Flowering commences throughout the year. Peak flowering between April to August.
Harvest
Harvesting begins from the 4th month after planting.
Yield
An approximate yield of 100 - 125 kg of flowers/ha/day can be obtained.
Source
1. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/36/20080311_Nerium_Oleander_Flowers.jpg/
2. http://www.floridata.com/wallpaper/jpg/Nerium_oleander800red.jpg
3. http://aptware.com/gbgnursery/images/Nerium_oleander.jpg
4. http://www.magnoliagardensnursery.com/productdescrip/pictures300/Nerium_HardyRed300.jpg |
