Thevetia peruviana - Peruvian oleander, Lucky nut
Family Apocynaceae
Description:
About eight species of Thevetia are native to tropical North and South America. The name of this plant suggests that it is native to South America but references are unclear or conflicting about details beyond "tropical America." In warm climates, this is a small, evergreen tree. It resembles an oleander but with narrower leaves. Flowers are yellow or orange-yellow bells that hang from branch tips.
Location:
See this plant on the south side of building 15.
Size:
Shrub or small tree to about ten feet tall.
Care Instructions:
Light: full sun to part shade
Water: well-drained soil, somewhat drought tolerant, responds well to irrigation
Soil: adaptable to soil types, no other special requirements
Some references list this as a hardy plant in Jacksonville's climate while others say that we are at the northern edge of its cold hardiness range. We will test this donated plant to see how it performs on campus. It may not be reliable in the colder parts of northeast Florida.