Variegated Oleander 'Variegata'

Mine is 2 years old. When I purchased it, I had no idea what it was. I put it in a large pot and let it grow. I never expected a bloom...Read More. This year I could tell it was about to bloom. When the bloom opened I knew. I grew up with oleanders everywhere. Mine is pink and the variegation is beautiful. It is a little warmer here than I think they like but I will water mine so that it is happy.

Lucky me! By the way, I am in zone 8.

"While oleander may possess many healing properties, much like many powerful botanical remedies, this plant can also be deadly when taken...Read More or prepared incorrectly. This plant should never be eaten raw, as its raw extract form is highly toxic. One raw leaf has enough poison in it to kill a small child, as well as any pet.

Put a cutting in my pond ,roots started to grow.

It is a homeopathic remedy for skin, heart and nervous system.

Although the variegated oleander grows beautifully all over this part of Arizona, I've had little luck with blooms. I have three shrubs, ...Read Moretwo in raised beds, that grow quickly but generate very few buds and blossoms compared to all the other ones in the area.

In fact, the shrubs at the grocery store are always just covered in blossoms, and I may get only 6-12 in a season. They hack those suckers back to 14" in height several times a year and the buds just keep coming back, whereas mine just grow lovely green and cream leathery leaves and a few flowers.

My research told me that the buds form in the fall, so I stopped pruning in early spring in case I was cutting off all the immature buds, but it made no difference.

Your site says they require regular but not a lot of water. Mine are on the drip system that waters all our other plants and cactus. Is it possible the lack of buds is due to over-watering?

I'd really love to know why mine aren't behaving like everyone else's. Thanks for listening!