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Austin Pretty Limits ® oleander . ( Nerium oleander)Photo by : Proven winner
A wide used landscape works in warmer mood , oleander is develop for its carefree habit and attractive star topology - shaped flush that flower nearly year - round . Because of its knockout and tough nature , this evergreen plant shrub is commonly see along main road median value and in public landscape in position like California , Florida , and Texas .
Native to the Mediterranean region , oleander bush is also well - suited to residential landscapes , but caution must be taken due to its toxicity . Here ’s how to safely impart and care for Nerium oleander in your yard .

On this Thomas Nelson Page : Basics|Planting|Care and Maintenance|Pictures|Design Ideas
On this page :
OLEANDER BASICS
Botanical name:
Nerium oleander
Zones:
8 - 11
Habit:
Upright bushy habit
Height/Spread:
4 to 20 feet tall , 3 to 15 metrical unit wide
Light exposure:
Full Sunday
Growing conditions:
Oleander is adaptable to many challenging condition including drought , heat , salty airwave and urban contamination . Plants can tolerate an occasional light-headed frost .
Soil:
Oleander prefers average grease with good drainage and a neutral pH between 6.5 - 7.5 . Plants are tolerant of poor soils .
Bloom period:
class - round , with acme flower in warmer months
Flowers:
Prolific clusters of funnel - shaped five - petaled flowers hap in hue of pink , white , crimson , coral , empurpled , or yellow . Some varieties are fragrant .
Foliage:
Slender olive - similar green or variegated leaves 2 1/2 to 8 inch long grow on sturdy stems . The elegant foliation tally ok texture to the landscape .
Is oleander invasive?
Because of its extensive ascendant system , oleander can be unmanageable to eradicate and can be trespassing in some southern part .
Is oleander deer-resistant?
The toxic properties of oleander protect it against certain enemies including deer .
Is oleander poisonous?
All parts of the oleander works are extremely toxic to humans and deary . See more on this below .
HOW TO PLANT OLEANDER
Photo by : Botond Horvath / Shutterstock
When to plant:
Spring or downslope , when the weather is cooler
Where to plant:
Place in a site that receives full sun . Plants can tolerate some shade , but may become gangling and produce fewer flowers with less light . Avoid plant around curious tiddler or pets .
How to plant:
weary protective clothing and glove to avoid direct contact lens with the works . Loosen soil in planting sphere and better with compost or other organic issue . Make certain territory is well - draining . Dig a hole 2 to 3 time wider and slightly deeper than the root clod . Remove plant from container and tease out roots if potbound . send the plant life in the kettle of fish so the top of the root globe is level with the surrounding soil . Fill in the hole with soil , tamp down lightly to take air pocket , and weewee exhaustively .
Spacing:
quad plants 4 to 12 substructure apart , depending on the variety .
Planting oleander in containers:
Use a high qualityall - purpose potting filth . Make certain container have adequate drainage kettle of fish . Containers should be 10 to 14 inch wide for smaller change and 14 to 24 inches wide for large cultivar .
OLEANDER CARE
Austin Pretty Limits ® oleander . pic by : Proven Winners
Pruning oleander:
To restore older or overgrown plants , cut 1/3 of the largest stems back to the ground . Cut remaining stanch back by 1/4 of their height . In the next class , take away more of the large woody stems if necessary and trim back as needed .
utilise protective gloves to prevent contact with the sap and wash out hands well after pruning .
Fertilizing:
When set in optimum condition , Nerium oleander needs fiddling or no auxiliary fertilizer . If dirt is poor and plants exhibit slow ontogeny , pale foliage , or few bloom , apply anall - purpose granular fertilizerin early spring and again in early fall . Mulch with a layer of compost in spring . For container plants , utilise an all - purpose granular plant food every 4 to 6 weeks .
Watering:
Water regularly and allow dirt to dry out between lachrymation . Too much water system can induce yellowing of the leaves or ascendant rot . container will postulate more frequent watering .
Pests and diseases:
When give the right growing conditions , Nerium oleander will be more resistant to pests and diseases . Pests includeaphids , mealybugs , flushed spider mite , scurf , oleander caterpillar , false oleander scale leaf , and glassy - fly sharpshooter . Diseases can include Sphaeropsis gall , oleander folio scorch ( a bacterial disease ) , leaf maculation , coal-black cast , and wood decay fungus kingdom .
OLEANDER VARIETIES
photograph by : Proven Winners
Austin Pretty Limits ® —Buy now from Proven WinnersNerium oleander
8 to 11

Upright spreading habit
Height and spread:
4 to 6 feet tall , 4 foot wide
Selected in Austin , Texas for its dense rounded drug abuse , this cultivar is specially heat and disease resistant . brilliant magenta - pinkish efflorescence lighten up the landscape painting . This nanus oleander is suitable for lowly space and containers .
Photo by : svf74 / Shutterstock.com

' Petite Pink’N. oleander
9 to 11
thickset shaggy-haired habit

3 to 6 foot marvelous and wide-cut
This dwarf potpourri is idealistic for little spaces and containers . The upright open habit is desirable for hedge or foundation plantings . clump of flaccid pastel pink peak 1 - 1/2 to 3 inch astray lend refined ingathering . ‘ Petite Pink ’ is less hardy than other variety .
Photo by : Jim Harding / Flickr

' Sister Agnes’N. rose bay
10 to 18 foot tall , 10 to 15 feet wide of the mark
graceful clean white flowers with a pallid yellow center are suitable for conventional landscape or moonlight gardens . Abundant bunch of single or doubled whorled flowers are sometimes fragrant .
Photo by : Cheng Wei / Shutterstock
' sturdy Pink’N. oleander
Upright open habit
8 to 15 feet tall , 6 to 10 feet wide
‘ intrepid pinkish ’ is one of the most cold - tolerant miscellanea , wear temperatures into the teens without foliage damage . plant life may develop hardiness down to Zone 7b . hopeful rose - pinkish star - influence flowers are lightly fragrant .
exposure by : Amornie / Shutterstock
' Hardy Red’N. oleander
6 to 15 feet tall , 6 to 10 feet wide
Five - petaled funnel - mold red flower 2 to 3 inch across add sizzling color to the landscape all summer long . This variety withstands cold and temperature extreme point better than most other rose bay , subsist down to Zone 7b in some instances .
Photo by : cultivar413 / Flickr
Twist of Pink ™ N. rose bay
8 to 10
6 to 8 feet tall and all-encompassing
Unique variegated foliage is green edged with creamy livid , providing a gaudy backdrop to the 1 - in pink flush . This cultivar is unfearing than many sort , down to 10 to 20 degrees F.
photograph by : Ellita / Shutterstock
' Mathilde Ferrier’N. oleander
8 to 15 feet improbable , 4 to 15 foot all-inclusive
One of the most commonly usable yellow varieties , this classical favorite has adorable pale yellow double flowers 2 to 3 inches across that are fragrant . This hardier manakin may develop stale tolerance down to Zone 7b .
Oleander alternatives:
safe backup man for oleander admit bottlebrush ( Callistemon citrinus ) , flannel bush ( Fremontodendron californicum ) , and lemonade berry ( genus Rhus integrifolia ) .
OLEANDER LANDSCAPING IDEAS
How to opt the proper Nerium oleander :
There are many ways to incorporate Nerium oleander into your landscape . Here ’s how :
OLEANDER TOXICITY
Oleander hold back multiple poisonous compounds and all parts of the plant are extremely toxic to man and dearie . take in even a small amount of the industrial plant can result in serious wound or expiry .
The percipient sticky sap can cause skin irritation or a rash on inter-group communication . Do n’t burn discarded oleander branches , as it can unloose toxins into the air .
Keep dogs on a troika while out walk in area where oleander is commonly planted and check that they are not manducate on any industrial plant . symptom can appear in as little as 30 minute of arc and be quite spectacular .
meet your local Poison Control Center , MD or veterinarian immediately if you suspect your child or favorite has get along into physical contact with plants .