I've been reading about Oleander, and it seems like there's a lot of scare around its toxicity. Some sources suggest you could die just by looking at it! But when I chatted with landscapers at local nurseries, they claim it's not as dangerous as everyone says and that it's relatively safe. My main concern, though, is for my dogs getting into it. The landscapers mentioned that my dogs would need to eat a ton of it just to feel sick. What's the real deal on Oleander's toxicity? I'm curious if they're just trying to sell me the plant or if there's some truth to that. My neighborhood has tons of dogs, and I haven't heard of any issues.
3 Answers
I grew up in a neighborhood filled with Oleander and honestly, I’ve never seen any trouble from it. To be honest, I worry more about small kids eating it than dogs since the flowers and sticks have a really bitter smell that usually keeps dogs away. I actually think Oleander is a solid choice for dry areas where you need some tall coverage, like along a back property line or near highways.
Seriously, with so many plant options available, why risk a potentially toxic one, especially if you have pets or little ones? There are plenty of non-toxic alternatives that would work great. You should seriously consider them.
As a botanist, I've definitely seen cases where Oleander can be fatal, even in small amounts. Just four dried leaves were enough to kill a horse due to the cardiac glycosides present in the plant. There are so many safer drought-resistant plants out there that look just as good, so I wouldn't take the chance with Oleander. I work in native landscaping and choose not to plant it.