Oleander

Name: Oleander
Brand: Outdoor Dream Builders

Nerium oleander

A widely used screening shrub with colorful blooms, though all parts are poisonous to humans and animals.

Hardy in USDA zones 8-11; tolerant of extreme low-desert heat and frost into the low 20s, with only cosmetic foliage burn in hard freezes.

AMWUA Notes

A tough, moderate-water screen with a dwarf form available, but all parts are poisonous and it is increasingly hit by fatal oleander leaf scorch, so weigh its long-term reliability.

Care Guide

💧Watering

Very adaptable; water deeply every 1-2 weeks in summer for lush growth, though established plants tolerate considerable drought once rooted.

✂️Pruning

Prune after bloom to control size and remove old canes at the base to renew; always wear gloves and never burn clippings, since all parts and the smoke are highly toxic.

🌱Fertilizing

A light spring feeding supports vigor; it is otherwise undemanding.

🛡️Pests

Watch for oleander aphids and the fatal bacterial oleander leaf scorch now affecting desert plantings; remove and destroy scorch-infected plants promptly.

☀️Seasonal Notes

Evergreen with a long spring-through-fall bloom; foliage may burn in a hard frost but recovers, and it flowers heaviest in summer heat.

Soil, Feeding & Propagation

🪨Soil

Very adaptable including clay, saline, alkaline, and caliche soils at pH 7.5-8.5.

💧Drainage

Needs well-drained soil.

🌱Nutrient Needs

Low feeder.

🌰Propagation

Softwood or hardwood cuttings root readily, even in water.

📐Spacing

4-5 ft

🌳Roots & Placement

Vigorous but non-invasive roots; keep a few feet off paving.

Placement Tips

•Standard forms reach 5 ft or more; space 4-5 ft apart for a hedge, or use dwarf cultivars for lower borders.
•A traditional pool and wall screen, but its toxicity makes it a poor choice around children, pets, and grazing animals.
•Moderate litter of spent flowers and leaves means some poolside cleanup.
•Full sun gives the densest screen; be aware leaf scorch disease is reducing its long-term reliability in the region.