Plant library · Shrubs
Nerium oleander
Oleander is a large, heat-loving evergreen shrub that brings flowers from early summer into early fall while holding a substantial green presence through the year. Reaching about 12 feet tall and 10 feet wide, it suits broad screening runs, deep foundation beds, and the rear of generous borders. Its size calls for a deliberate location rather than a narrow gap beside a walk or entry.
Use oleander where a tall, continuous planting can define an edge, soften a long wall, or create separation from a drive, neighboring view, or open utility area. Set it behind lower shrubs and perennials so its broad lower canopy does not swallow the foreground. Keep a clear service strip on the accessible side for pruning and cleanup, and avoid placing it where its mature branches would press into paths, gates, windows, or outdoor seating.
Plant on 8-foot centers for a connected screen, recognizing that each shrub can ultimately spread about 10 feet wide. That spacing allows neighboring crowns to knit together while leaving some room for individual stems to develop. For a looser, more sculptural arrangement, increase the intervals and allow the rounded forms to read separately. Make the bed deep enough to accommodate the full canopy without repeated trimming against hard edges.
Give oleander a full-sun position, especially when it is being used as a flowering screen rather than simply background foliage. Its low water needs make it a practical fit for sunny beds that are inconvenient to irrigate often. Place it in well-drained ground and avoid making it the low point of a bed where water routinely collects after rain or irrigation.[1][2]
Early-summer-to-early-fall bloom makes this shrub most useful as a long-season backdrop for plantings that peak in spring or later autumn. Flowers form on new growth, so schedule shaping soon after the main flowering display rather than cutting late in the season. This preserves a fuller screen while reducing the chance of removing developing flower buds.[1]
Allow for winter exposure when choosing the site. Cold can damage foliage and stems, so place it where the mature shrub has room to recover without leaving a critical screen, entry view, or boundary planting suddenly bare. In zones 8 through 11, a sheltered sunny position gives this large evergreen a more dependable role in the layout.[1]
Editorial content updated 2026-07-20.