Shrub · North Texas care guide
Nerium oleander
Nursery Pro tip: 'Hardy Red' shrugs off heat, salt and neglect and blooms all summer. Every part is poisonous — keep it away from the dog run and don't burn the trimmings.
Nonstop summer flowers in red, pink, salmon or white on a big, glossy evergreen shrub that laughs at heat, drought, poor soil and salt. 8–12 ft for standard varieties; dwarf forms stay 3–4 ft. The Gulf Coast plants it by the mile.
Full sun and drainage. In Rockwall it's borderline hardy — a 2021-style freeze will knock it to the ground, so plant it in a protected south or east spot and expect it to regrow from the roots if we get a hard winter. Space 5–6 ft apart.
Spring so it has the full season to establish. Hole twice the pot width, ball at grade, native soil, Root Stimulator, mulch.
Weekly the first summer; after that it's about as drought-proof as anything we sell.
Light spring feeding at most.
Late winter or right after the freeze damage shows — cut to live wood, even to the ground, and it comes back fast. Thin old canes at the base to keep it from getting top-heavy.
Every part of the plant is poisonous — to people, dogs, horses and cattle — including the smoke if you burn the trimmings. Don't plant it where livestock or small children can reach it, wear gloves when pruning, and bag the clippings. Also watch for oleander caterpillar (orange with black tufts) in late summer and the incurable oleander leaf scorch bacterium.
A fast informal screen in a hot spot, or a big pot on a sunny patio. Keep it away from vegetable gardens and animal pens.
Written for Rockwall's black clay, heat and winters by the Landscape Source team. Every yard is different — bring a photo by, or ask LS-Ai, and we'll tailor it to your spot.