What soil does Oleander grow in?

It tolerates these soils: average garden soil, clay, sandy, calcareous.

Hardy down to -10 °C (USDA zone 8, RHS H4). Outdoors in this country it only survives with winter protection, or in a pot overwintered frost-free.

Is Oleander toxic to dogs?

Yes, it is highly toxic to dogs: even a small amount can be life-threatening.

Is Oleander toxic to cats?

Yes, it is highly toxic to cats: even a small amount can be life-threatening.

Is Oleander toxic to children?

Yes, it is highly toxic to children: even a small amount can be life-threatening.

How far from the house should Oleander be planted?

Plant it at least 2.5 m from buildings. Keep it at least 0.5 m from paving.

When does Oleander flower?

Flowering: June–October, pink, white, red, yellow, orange.

How much water does Oleander need?

Water need: medium. Drought tolerance: high.

What should I plant instead of Oleander?

We do not recommend it for most Central European gardens. For a similar purpose we recommend: Laurustinus, Adam's needle, Blue Arrow juniper, Holly osmanthus.

Oleander

Nerium oleander

Oleander (Nerium oleander) is a shrub. Light: full sun, part shade. Hardy down to -10 °C. Drought tolerance: high. Highly toxic to dogs, cats and children. We do not recommend it for most Central European gardens.

Illustration of Oleander — An illustration of the typical shape of the mature plant, not a photo.

What it's good for, and what it isn't

Not hardy in Central Europe, so grow it in a large pot: in the sunniest, warmest, sheltered spot it flowers for months in pink, white, red or yellowish shades. In summer it wants plenty of water and regular feeding, and it is perfectly happy with hard tap water. In autumn leave it outside until the first lasting night frosts (it takes brief dips to about minus 5 °C), then overwinter it somewhere bright, cool and airy at 5 to 10 °C with very little water, and in spring, once hard frosts are over, get it used to the sun again step by step. Every part is highly poisonous, so it does not belong near small children or pets.

We do not recommend this plant

We do not recommend it for most Central European gardens. Further down we show what to plant instead.

Watch out for

In Central Europe it can only be kept in a container with frost-free overwintering; in a dark or too warm winter room it turns leggy, drops leaves and gets overrun by pests. The usual pests are scale insects, spider mites (mostly in dry, stuffy rooms), mealybugs and aphids: check the plant before moving it in and through the winter, and wash the leaves down. Oleander canker (a Pseudomonas bacterium) causes knobbly, splitting galls on shoots, leaves and flower heads: cut affected parts back to healthy wood in dry weather and disinfect the blades after every cut. Do not shorten the shoot tips needlessly, because next year's flowers form there.

Highly toxic

Every part of the plant (leaves, flowers, stems, roots, seeds, sap) is highly poisonous, fresh or dried: it contains glycosides that act on the heart. Eating even a few leaves can cause nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, dizziness and a slow, irregular heartbeat, and it can be fatal to people, dogs, cats and horses alike. The sap can irritate the skin, so wear gloves when pruning and wash your hands afterwards. Do not burn the prunings, because the smoke is toxic too, never use the stems as skewers, and keep children and animals away from water in which cut flowers have stood. If you suspect any has been swallowed, get medical or veterinary help at once.

Key facts

Light: Full sun, Part shade
Water need: Medium
Care: Medium
Size after 10 years: 2 m × 1.5 m
Hardiness: down to -10 °C
Foliage: Evergreen
Flowering: J F M A M J J A S O N D June–October, pink, white, red, yellow, orange

All details

Group	Shrub
Light	Full sun, Part shade
Size after 10 years	2 m × 1.5 m
Ultimate size	1.2–4 m × 1.2–3 m
Hardiness	down to -10 °C (USDA 8, RHS H4)
Soil	Average garden soil, Clay, Sandy, Calcareous
Foliage	Evergreen
Flowering	June–October, pink, white, red, yellow, orange
Water need	Medium
Drought tolerance	High
Maintenance	Medium
Root aggressiveness	Low
Suckering	no
Spreading	Low
Distance from buildings	at least 2.5 m
Distance from paving	at least 0.5 m
Litter	not typical
Planting distance	150 cm
For dogs	Highly toxic
For cats	Highly toxic
For children	Highly toxic
Typical price	no data

Toxicity data is for information only. If your pet or child has eaten a plant, contact a vet or a doctor.

What to plant instead

Recommended plants that do the same job, with similar characteristics.

Laurustinus

Viburnum tinus 2 m × 2 m after 10 years

A Mediterranean evergreen viburnum with dark, glossy foliage that flowers from late autumn in mild winters, otherwise from late winter into spring:…

Shrub

Full sun

Part shade

Adam's needle

Yucca filamentosa 1.8 m × 1.2 m after 10 years

It forms a stemless evergreen rosette of sword-shaped leaves edged with white threads, and in early summer sends up a head-high stalk carrying…

Shrub

Full sun

from about PLN 14

Blue Arrow juniper

Juniperus scopulorum 'Blue Arrow' 3.5 m × 60 cm after 10 years

A very narrow, steel-blue column that takes up little ground yet draws a vertical line you can see from across the garden. It wants full sun and…

Shrub

Full sun

Holly osmanthus

Osmanthus heterophyllus 2 m × 1.5 m after 10 years

An evergreen shrub with glossy, dark green, spiny leaves that look like holly, bearing tiny white flowers in autumn whose scent carries a long way…

Shrub

Full sun

Part shade

from about PLN 25

Frequently asked questions

Data updated: October 17, 2026 · How our data is made