Flower profile
Oleander
Nerium oleander
Oleander is a flowering plant that USDA PLANTS lists as introduced in the lower 48 states.
*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.
- 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 #76 among the 111 flowers on our South Carolina list. iNaturalist
Oleander gift ideas
Handmade oleander gifts from independent makers.
🌱 Sample spot. Handmade gift picks from independent shops will appear here once our shop partnership is approved. These cards are placeholders, not real products.
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Oleander art print
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Oleander greeting card
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Oleander mug
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Oleander earrings
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Oleander embroidery pattern
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Oleander sticker
When does it bloom?
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?
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
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.
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.
More South Carolina flowers
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.