Florida flowers: Opulent and ominous oleander, after the rain

As you wise and wonderful readers probably already know oleander is highly toxic. I first learned of this from an unlikely source. The book White Oleander by Janet Finch wherein a woman poisons her husband with a toxic cocktail that includes oleander.

Since that time, and since I frequently have an interest in true crime, I’ve heard of cases of some completely horrific people using oleander to posion a person to death. Apparently it has an exceedingly bitter taste so this is considered rare, although one notorious exception is that of Angelina Rodriguez, accused of poisoning her husband not only with Oleander but an added dose of antifreeze! Yikes! She is currently on death row in California.

I’ve posted about Oleander before: Florida flowers: The ornate oleander. Even though both are considered pink oleander, the color variation is quite remarkable. Notice, however, that the leaves look nearly identical.

Pink oleander – Orlando, FL – JoAnn Ryan

Anyway, it’s been a fairly typical summer here in Florida. Plenty of sweltering heat, humidity and rainstorms although the rain does seem to be a bit more brutal this year. Normally the rain clouds roll in, the sky turns dark and one has a few minutes leeway to run for cover.

Not this year. It’s like one minute it’s intensely sunny and then you look up to see a rain cloud. Then, before you even have time to think about heading for cover, Mother Nature kicks things up full blast. As you run for the nearest shelter you’re already soaked head to toe.

I don’t know, maybe this is what it’s like to live in Seattle or England but I’m not really liking this. I’m always ever so grateful for the rain though; it’s what makes Florida so beautiful and green!

I only wish I had one of those expensive high-tech cameras so I could do the rain on these flower petals true justice. I merely have my iPhone. I can’t complain too much though, my iPhone takes pretty awesome photos considering it’s a camera phone.

Hope everyone has a great day! Enjoy these beautiful oleander flowers!

Pink oleander – Orlando, FL – JoAnn Ryan

Pink oleander – Orlando, FL – JoAnn Ryan

Pink oleander – Orlando, FL – JoAnn Ryan

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