Oleander "Nerium oleander" is an evergreen shrub or small tree that is prized by home gardeners for its showy, funnel-shaped blooms. Hardy to U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 8 through 10, oleander is part of the Apocynaceae or dogbane family. Oleanders are fast-growing and easy to care for, which makes them an appealing landscape plant. However, all parts of this plant are highly toxic and in some locations is considered invasive.
Oleander plants are durable shrubs or trees that contain a gummy, clear sap. The leathery lance-shaped foliage is deep green and may be arranged opposite along the stems or in whorls. Oleander’s funnel-shaped flowers bloom in clusters at the twig tips from summer to fall, and come in shades of white, pink, red, or yellow. The flowers are often abundant, and some oleander varieties give off a pleasant fragrance. Oleanders typically grow to between 6 and 12 feet tall, with a spread of the same width, but some may be trained to grow into small trees that reach up to 20 feet tall.
Oleander plants contain several toxic elements, including cardiac glycosides, saponins, digitoxigenin, oleandrin, oleondroside, nerioside and other unknown toxins. These poisons are found in all parts of the oleander plant and are toxic whether the plant parts are dried or green. Ingestion of any part of the oleander plant can lead to serious illness and possibly death.
Symptoms of Poisoning
Ingesting oleander plant parts can result in a variety of symptoms ranging from moderate to severe or fatal. These include skin rash, blurred vision, visual disturbances such as halos, diarrhea, nausea, stomach pain, vomiting, loss of appetite, irregular or slowed heartbeat, weakness, low blood pressure, confusion, dizziness, headache, fainting, depression, drowsiness, or lethargy. Symptoms such as depression, loss of appetite, and halos in the vision are typically only present in cases of chronic or severe poisonings.
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