Virginia Tech Dendrology

oleander Apocynaceae Nerium oleander L. symbol: NEOL
Leaf: Opposite or whorled, evergreen, simple, linear to lanceolate, entire, 5 to 10 inches long, leathery with a yellow conspicuous mid-vein, bright green above, paler beneath.
Flower: Species is monoecious; very showy, 1 to 2 inches across, 5 large petals with a wide range of colors (pinks to red most common), appearing in terminal clusters in summer on new growth; although summer is peak flowering, some flowers may be present year round.
Fruit: Elongated woody pod, 4 to 6 inches long, splits open when ripe (summer through fall) to release small feathery seeds.
Twig: Stout, shiny green later turns light brown, very smooth.
Bark: Light brown to gray, with little texture and only a slightly rough surface.
Form: A multi-stemmed shrub reaching up to 20 feet with a similar spread. It can be trained into a small tree.
Looks like: desert-willow - Arizona rosewood

Additional Range Information: Nerium oleander is planted in the USDA hardiness zones shown above and may seed into the landscape. Download the full-size PDF map.
External Links: USDA Plants Database - Horticulture Information
All material © 2021 Virginia Tech Dept. of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation; Photos and text by: John Seiler, Edward Jensen, Alex Niemiera, and John Peterson; Silvics reprinted from Ag Handbook 654; range map source information