This fast growing evergreen shrub can reach up to 20 ft tall but is usually seen trimmed at 6 to 10 ft. It forms a rounded mound to about 10 ft wide. It is a tough, versatile plant with showy summertime flowers in white, red, pink, salmon and light yellow. Leathery, lance shaped leaves range from about 4 to 10 cm long, depending on variety and are a bright green. Oleanders have a tendency to become leggy - overgrown individuals should be pruned as needed to maintain a nice shape.

The leaves and the flowers are cardiotonic, diaphoretic, diuretic, emetic, expectorant and sternutatory; cardiotonic (leaf, bark, root and seed); induces tears (fresh leaf juice); stimulant, antiinflammatory and relieves pain (bark, root and seed)

Floridata
Plants for a Future
PIER
Oleander
King's American Dispensatory

Betulin, betulinic acid, oleandrin, isoquercitrin, quercetin, rutin, (leaf); cardiac glycosides (root, bark and seed); beta-sitosterol, choline, oleanolic acid, ursolic acid (plant); linolenic acid (flower)

In ulcers, chancre and hemorrhoids (root paste); skaly skin maladies (oil from root bark); ophthalmia (fresh leaf juice);in the treatment of scabies, and to reduce swellings (leaf decoction); in the treatment of leprosy and skin diseases of a scaly nature (root oil). The whole plant has anticancer properties.

All parts of the plants are poisonous, including the smoke if burned.

The Himalaya Drug Company.