July's Herb of The Month is Oleander! Much like poinsettia, this plant is also poisionous. So do not eat it! Oleander comes in three different colors. Hot pink, light pink, and white. Which color are you most fond of? They come in both bushes and trees. Which do you find more aesthetically pleasing? What type and color is most common in your area? Have you used this flower as a spell component before? Have you used this flower as an offering? Let us know your thoughts below!
Re: HoTM: Oleander By: Jaxies
Post # 2 Jul 02, 2017
Hello, Jaxies here!
I am very fond of the hot pink one it looks very pretty. I would say finding them in bushes in really common where I live. I have not used this flower as an offering before. I have seen this plant before but just never knew the game of it but now that I do! I might just use it as an offering.
I would say, hot pink really stands out in the summer to me at least must be why I think it's really pretty.Don't get me wrong but they are both pretty I personally think the hot pink does look a little bit better.
Blessed Be.
~Jaxies~
Re: HoTM: Oleander By: SilentSyren
Post # 3 Jul 04, 2017
I really like the light pink ones. I used them in my very first love spell. The one that helped guide my spouse to me. I have used all three as offerings. I have three little vases on my Ares altar I try to fill whenever possible. I also have a little pink rose dish sitting top of a baby Eros statue I put fresh and dried herbs on. Light pink oleanders are most common here but all of them grow in Arizona and are very common. They are often located in supermarket parking lots and appartment complexes here. I like oleander trees more but the bushes are much more common here. Though I have found a few trees outside of my favorite healthy eating place.
Now to give some more information on oleander.
Pythia and Oracles of Apollo would chew on them when divining as they sit on their stool behind the curtain in the temple with the toxic fumes flowing up in the cracks.
Sometimes used in love spells.
More often used in banishings.
The scientific name for Oleander is Nerium.
Nerium comes from the Greek word, "neros" which is the Greek word for water because they were commonly found near the water.
"Olea" was because of it's resemblance to olive trees.
"Ollyo" which is Greek for "to kill" because they are poisionous.
"Aner" or "andros" being Greek for man. So meaning, "man killer".
Oleander is a member of the dogbane family.
Oleander apparently comes in yellow too!
All parts of this plant are poisionous.
Names for the toxins it contains are; cardiac glycosides, saponins, digitoxigenin, oleandrin, oleondroside, nerioside. Plus some other unknown ones.
Symptoms of poisioning can be blurred vision, skin rashes, diarrhea, vomiting, headache, vomiting, dizziness, drowsiness, loss of appetite, depression, and even death.
This plant is commonly used in landscaping.
They tollerate a variety of weather conditions and different types of soil.
However, there is such a thing as too cold like 20 degrees and under.
Like Syren rated, the oleander plant grows great in most conditions. Out where I live in Arizona, they are one of the few plants that don't completly kill themselves in the middle of summer, which is not the easiest task.
Re: HoTM: Oleander By: MagicTherian
Post # 5 Jul 24, 2017
Some folk names of oleander include Rose Bay, Dog Bane, Ceylon Tree, and Adelfa. :)
