Species
Nerium oleander
Common Name(s)
Oleander
Family
Apocynaceae
Flora Category
Vascular - Exotic
Structural Class
Dicotyledonous Trees & Shrubs
Habitat
Terrestrial. Persisting in the vicinity of old plantations.
Features
Much-branched shrub to about 4 m high. Leaves opposite and shortly petiolate, to 15 x 2.5 cm on flowering shoots, to 25 x 4 cm on suckering shoots. Large pink flowers with reddish-purple calyx. Flowers are usually single but can be semi-double. Fruits are uncommon, but are up to 18 cm long when produced.
Similar Taxa
Nerium is widely cultivated and over 400 varieties have been described, but there is just 1 species in the genus.
Flowering
November, December, January, February, March.
Flower Colours
Red / Pink
Year Naturalised
1950
Origin
Mediterranean region, S.W. Asia
Reason for Introduction
Ornamental.
Life Cycle and Dispersal
Seed is only formed when 2 or more varieties are grown together.
Tolerances
Appears restricted to the warmest parts of New Zealand.
Poisonous plant
All parts of this plant are very poisonous.
This page last updated on 25 Feb 2016