365 Urban Species. #104: Oleander

[urbpan]

Urban species #104: Oleander Nerium oleander

Throughout the age of exploration, passing sailors would leave livestock on islands, allowing the animals to go feral and breed, to be harvested on subsequent trips. Usually pigs and goats were used for this purpose, relatively quick-breeding animals that can make use of almost any food source. Goats, in particular, are well-reknown for eating nearly any plant or plant fibers. Their legacy is the extinction of native plants and herbivores (such as several subspecies of Galapagos tortoises) from Pacific, Caribbean and East Indian islands.

On Antigua, there are still herds of feral goats, as well as roaming sheep, horses, and cattle, all set out to graze in the villages and the countryside. Landscapers must resort to the thorniest desert plants and those plants bearing the most goat-resistant toxins. The oleander shrub, native to the Mediterranean region, and across subtropical Eurasian, is the most consistent choice on the island. Oleander produces profuse white or pink blossoms, and can survive the often arid conditions on Antigua. It also is one of the most poisonous plants available to the Caribbean landscaper. Its toxic properties persist even when the plant is dried out, and there are apparently reports of poisonings resulting from the use of an oleander branch as a marshmallow roasting stick.