Oleander
Nerium oleander
Native to the Mediterranean, Oleander is a woody shrub and a popular greenhouse specimen in early America.
This superb Mediterranean shrub has been in cultivation since 1596. In America, Oleanders were popular as greenhouse specimens by the late eighteenth century and George Washington grew them in containers at Mount Vernon. The Philadelphia nurseryman Bernard McMahon offered oleanders in 1810 under the name "Bay Rose." This is a species form with simple flowers which are somewhat smaller than the hybrids grown today. It produces intensely fragrant, bright pink flowers throughout the summer. Long, leathery, lance-shaped leaves grow in whorls along erect branches.
In Bloom at Monticello is made possible by support from The Richard D. and Carolyn W. Jacques Foundation.
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Between April and October, all house tours come with a free guided Garden Tour, or you can explore the grounds on your own with the Bloomberg Connects App
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Heirloom Seeds and Plants from the Monticello collection
Plant history in your gardens with seeds and plants from Monticello and the Thomas Jefferson Center for Historic Plants.
