Flower profile

Oleander

Nerium oleander

Oleander (Nerium oleander) is a shrub or small tree in the Apocynaceae family, introduced in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly April–July across the U.S.

Introduced in the lower 48

Oleander is a flowering plant that USDA PLANTS lists as introduced in the lower 48 states.

11states where USDA records it

478SC sightings*

4,537U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.

On our lists for: South Carolina

Quick look

Nerium oleander, the oleander, is a shrub or small tree native to the Mediterranean region east to southern Asia, from Morocco and Portugal east to India and Myanmar; the Flora of China also cites it as native in Yunnan in China. It is the only species currently classified in the genus Nerium, belonging to subfamily Apocynoideae of the dogbane family Apocynaceae.
From Wikipedia's article Nerium, CC BY-SA 4.0.

It belongs to the Apocynaceae family. ^iNaturalist
USDA PLANTS describes it as a shrub / a tree with a perennial life cycle. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS lists it as introduced in the lower 48 states and records it in 11 states. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS lists its flower color as red. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS gives its bloom period as summer. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS lists a mature height of about 12 ft. ^{USDA PLANTS}
iNaturalist has 478 research-grade sightings of it in South Carolina, ranking #80 among the 171 flowers on our South Carolina list. ^iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month in South Carolina (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (18 records)

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA): Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. ^{USFWS ECOS}
NatureServe global: GNR Not yet ranked worldwide. ^NatureServe
South Carolina: No list South Carolina has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's South Carolina ranks instead. NatureServe has no South Carolina rank for it.
Rare elsewhere: No other U.S. state ranks it S1, S2, SH or SX.

Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.

Can you eat it?

For peoplePoisonous to people

NC State Extension lists it as poisonous to humans (severity: high). Poisonous parts: bark, flowers, fruits, leaves, roots, sap/juice, seeds, stems. Symptoms they list: “Highly toxic, may be fatal if eaten! Nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, dizziness, slowed pulse, irregular heartbeat, dilation of pupils, bloody diarrhea, and drowsiness, depression, death. Poisonous either fresh or dry.” ^{NC State Extension}

For petsToxic to dogs, cats and horses

ASPCA's entry “Oleander” (Nerium oleander) lists it as toxic to dogs, cats and horses. Signs include: Drooling, abdominal pain, diarrhea, colic, depression… ^ASPCA

🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.

Where does it grow?

USDA PLANTS records oleander in 11 states.

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recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, Utah.

Growing conditions

USDA PLANTS gives Oleander a high shade tolerance, high drought tolerance and low moisture use. It is rated for soil pH 5.5 to 7.8 and winter lows down to 14 °F.

Shade tolerance: High
Drought tolerance: High
Moisture use: Low
Soil textures it is adapted to: coarse, medium, fine
Soil pH range: 5.5 to 7.8
Minimum temperature tolerated: 14 °F
Frost-free days needed (minimum): 230
Annual precipitation range: 14 to 60 inches
Minimum root depth: 16 inches
Salinity tolerance: High
Fertility requirement: Low
Growth rate: Rapid
Lifespan: Moderate
Active growth period: Spring, Summer, Fall
Fruit or seed: Brown · Summer to Fall
Can be propagated by: bare root, container, cuttings, seed
Commercial availability: Routinely Available

From the USDA PLANTS characteristics data for NEOL. USDA ratings are general guidance for the species, not a guarantee for your garden.

Names, range and relatives

Native status by region (USDA PLANTS): Lower 48 states: Introduced; Pacific Basin (excluding Hawaii): Introduced; Puerto Rico: Introduced; U.S. Virgin Islands: Introduced.

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 50 counties across 10 states; the most are in Louisiana (17), Florida (9), Texas (8).

More from the Apocynaceae family (28 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Common milkweed, Butterfly milkweed, Lesser periwinkle, Swamp milkweed, Greater periwinkle, Green antelopehorns, Antelopehorn milkweed, Showy milkweed.

More South Carolina flowers

Butterfly milkweed

Asclepias tuberosa

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🌼 Blooms in SC: May–July

Greater periwinkle

Vinca major

Introduced

🌼 Few flowering records in SC

American beautyberry

Callicarpa americana

Native

🌼 Blooms in SC: June–July

Sources

USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile NEOL.
iNaturalist, Nerium oleander: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
Wikipedia, Nerium (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
South Carolina: South Carolina State Plant Pest List, plants (S.C. Code Regs. 27-135; Clemson Dept. of Plant Industry).
USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
NatureServe Explorer, Nerium oleander (global and state ranks).
Edibility and toxicity: NC State Extension; ASPCA.
Photo: Andrew J. Crawford via iNaturalist · CC0 · resized.