Where hot, dry, desert conditions exist, the oleander is a shrub of choice. Evergreen oleander, with its long, narrow leaves, grows rapidly to 10 to 12 feet high and as wide around. Blooms are 2 to 3 inches wide in tones of pink, coral, red, white, or yellow. Flowers start to appear in early spring and last throughout the summer months. Many varieties of oleander are fragrant.
Soil: Any soil. Oleander is heat-, drought-, and salt-tolerant.
Light: Full sun
Zone: 9
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The cooling appearance of the oleander in a hot, dry spot is a refreshing sight. To keep the plant blooming each spring, remove the branches that bloomed the previous year. Be careful when you discard branches and leaves, because they are poisonous. Watch out for insect and disease problems prevalent in oleander.
