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- Permanent Link:
- http://dpanther.fiu.edu/dpService/dpPurlService/purl/FI14090859/00001
Notes
- Scope and Content:
- Source: Oleander 1
Length of Segment: 00:01:16
Hi, I'm Dr. Jerry Jackson, out with the wild things. Oleander, a common landscape plant in South Florida, is a native of the Middle East, but can now be found in warmer climates around the world. Oleander can grow to twenty feet tall, but typically is much smaller. In summer, it's known for its long-lasting profusion of flowers. And cultivars include plants with white and various shades of pink to red and even salmon-colored blossoms. Oleander produces an abundance of erect stems that rarely branch. As a result of this lack of branching, birds rarely use oleander for nesting; there is little support for nests. The name 'oleander' seems to come from two Latin roots: Olea, which refers to the olive tree of the Middle East, and lorandrum, referring to other plants such as the rhododendrons, and laurels. The Latin word oleo, meaning fragrant, applies both to the blossoms of the olive tree and oleander. The leaves of oleander are evergreen, leathery, shaped like a slender knife blade, and up to six inches long, similar to those of laurels. ( English,English,English,English )
- Scope and Content:
- Source: Oleander 2
Length of Segment: 00:01:24
Hi, I'm Dr. Jerry Jackson, out with the wild things. With the beginning of spring rains, oleanders begin blooming, and they'll continue blooming well into fall. These tall shrubs with straight branches that reach up from near the ground to a height of up to twenty feet, produce an abundance of red, white, or pink blossoms. They're also evergreen and very hearty, have few insect pests, and can tolerate heat and the exhaust fumes of vehicles. In addition, oleanders grow well as single shrubs or as trimmed hedges. It's no wonder that oleanders are commonly used in landscaping in southern climates, as plantings in interstate medians, and even as container plants in more northern areas. This seems like a landscape gardeners dream...perhaps, but be aware that oleander can be a nightmare as well. All parts of oleander are poisonous, deadly poisonous. A hot dog or marshmallows cooked on one of those straight oleander branches can kill a human. A single bite from on oleander leaf can kill a child. Smoke from burning oleander branches is toxic. A mouth full of oleander leaves can kill a horse.
- Scope and Content:
- Source: Oleander 3
Length of Segment: 00:01:23
Hi, I'm Dr. Jerry Jackson, out with the wild things. Oleander is a common landscape shrub in Florida environments, and in many ways it's a good fit for managed urban landscapes. It's tolerant of salty soils and drought conditions, grows in full sun, loves sandy soils, remains green year-around, and produces an abundance of long-lasting colorful blooms. But before you plant oleander, be aware that it's not native and it has little value for native birds and wildlife. It might also become invasive in wetland areas, with seeds spread by the wind, crowding out native plants as it expands out of natural environments out of control. Oleander is now found around the world in warm coastal environments, but it is originally from the Mediterranean area. The greatest problem with oleander is that it's very poisonous. Taking a bite of an oleander leaf or of a hotdog cooked on an oleander stick can be lethal. This is not a plant for landscaping picnic areas or playgrounds. On the positive side, we've learned to use oleanders' toxins in rat poisons and insecticides and even in some medicines.
- Scope and Content:
- Source: Oleander 4
Length of Segment: 00:01:19
Hi, I'm Dr. Jerry Jackson, out with the wild things. Periwinkle is a name given to three different but related evergreen flowering plants that are often used as ground covers in landscaping. You may also know them as ‘vinca’. Periwinkles are in the same family as the very poisonous oleander. And, like oleander, periwinkles produce potent chemicals that can affect heart rate, blood pressure, and the central nervous system of humans and other animals. Periwinkles are not as dangerous as oleander, but they are not plants that should be used where a small child might eat a leaf or a flower. In small doses, the large periwinkle of England and Europe has been used in folk medicine for centuries. Some periwinkles have escaped cultivation and become invasive weeds, especially along roadsides, although they're not high on the list of problem plants. Periwinkles are useful in landscaping and pretty to look at when under control, but potentially bad medicine for those who might eat them, or for natural environments if out of control.
- Scope and Content:
- Source: Oleander 5
Length of Segment: 00:01:17
Hi, I'm Dr. Jerry Jackson, out with the wild things. Why is it that plants like oleander and periwinkle produce chemicals that are toxic to humans and other animals? The answer is simple: survival. The chemicals are defenses that protect these plants from being eaten. Chemicals produced by each kind of plant are often unique to the species, but similar among family members. We've learned that many of these chemicals, if used in minute quantities, can have tremendous medicinal value. For example, chemicals from the pink periwinkle, that is native to Madagascar, have become important in fighting some cancers and have helped build a multi-million dollar industry. It's hard to predict which plant might be producing the cures for our most dreaded diseases, an important reason to protect the diversity of life around us. Somewhere a plant, from a jungle faraway, or from the swamp next door might someday save your life. ( English )
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- Resource Identifier:
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