This vigorous shrub has numerous upright slender branched stems that form an open vase-shaped habit. It has dark green lance-shaped leaves and the single or double white to pink funnel-shaped flowers appear in a cluster throughout summer.

Hardiness zones 9 to 11

Nerium oleanderis naturally found from the Mediterranean to the middle-east countries growing in woodlands or open places.

It prefers a well drained moderately fertile moist to dry sandy to light clay soil in an open to exposed sunny position. Once established it is drought tolerant but frost tender.

Oleander is grown for its flowers and its rounded crown. It is planted parks and gardens along borders for screening or used in street plantings. It can be trimmed to form an informal hedge and establishes in 2 to 4 years and is long lived. Oleander is suitable for coastal or inland regions tolerating salt laden winds, saline soils and drought. It is also a fire retardant plant and tolerates neglect. ID 57

Note:
Care should be taken as it may be lethal if ingested and contact with the milky sap causes skin irritations.

Nerium(NAY-ree-um) oleander(o-lee-ĂN-der)

'Nerium': from Greek neros - moist (refers to its preference for moist soils): 'oleander': possibly a local vernacular name for this plant.

Apocynaceae (a-pos-ih-NAY-see-ee)