Oleander
Nerium oleander
Also called Rose bay and Nerium
Garden plant · ShrubsEVERY PART IS POISONOUS, including the smoke — never burn the prunings, and never use a stem as a skewer. It is otherwise one of the easiest shrubs there is, which is exactly why it is planted by people who do not know that.
Care at a glance
- Ease
- Easy
- Water
- Every 10 daysWater the ground, then leave it — water at the base and then leave it — these want to dry out between drinks.
- Light
- Full sun
- Feed
- Every 45 days
- Humidity
- Low
- Hardiness
- Half-hardy — a light frost RHS H3, to -5°C
- Size
- 2.5 m tall · 2 m across
- Lifecycle
- Shrub
- Origin
- The Mediterranean and southwest Asia
Is it safe for pets and people?
Affects dogs, cats, horses. Signs: drooling, vomiting, diarrhoea, and a slowed or irregular heartbeat. Serious in small amounts.
Every part, and the smoke from burning it.
RHS category B — toxic if eaten, and the smoke from burning it is harmful. Never put prunings on a bonfire and never use a cut stem as a skewer.
Checked against ASPCA and RHS on 2026-08-09.
A guide, not veterinary or medical advice. If a pet or a person has eaten a plant and you are worried, call your vet or doctor now — don’t wait for signs to appear. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.
First signs of trouble
- Sticky leaves that catch dust, and flat brown limpets sitting along the underside of the midrib.Scale insect · pest
- Leaf tips and margins going dry and yellow-brown on one branch at a time, spreading down it over a season.Oleander leaf scorch · disease