Nerium oleander L. is a shrub plant from the Apocynaceae family. Known as the oleander, this plant originates from North Africa and Southeast Asia. Growing upright to a height of 2-5 m, it has thick, sap-filled leaves with lanceolate-shaped blades, pointed tips, and bases, flat edges, dark green upper surfaces, and light green undersides. Its flowers are pink or white.

This “Pink” artwork was originally created to participate in the Pink challenge held by IDSBA some time ago. However, it was not submitted because I hadn’t registered for membership at that time. The choice of Nerium oleander as the subject of the illustration is not only because of its pink flowers but also because of its ecological importance as a host plant for butterflies such as Euploea corinna, Euploea mulciber, and several other species. This relates to the artist’s background as a butterfly enthusiast. The hope is that more people will understand the interconnectedness and benefits between plants and insects, especially butterflies.