Plants and mushrooms

Pink Oleander

Common name		Pink oleander
Botanical name		Nerium oleander
Other common names		Oleander, Oleander rose laurel, White oleander
Family		Apocynaceae
General description		An ornamental shrub to 4m, often with many slender stems from the ground. Dwarf, double-flowered and variegated varieties are now popular.
Flowers		The perfumed flowers are pink, red, white or apricot, 4–5cm across with five spreading petals, and are usually clustered at the end of the branches.
Leaves		The leaves are lance-shaped, leathery and stiffly pointed, 7.5–20cm long and 1.3–2cm wide, arranged in groups of two or three along the branch.
Fruit/Berries		The fruit are long narrow pods containing numerous silky hairy seeds.
Other		The sap is milky.
Symptoms		All parts of this plant are toxic and deaths have been reported from significant ingestions. Symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, lethargy and dizziness. Delayed effects include slow heart beat, seizures and coma. The flower perfume may cause respiratory irritation and skin contact with the sap may cause dermatitis in sensitive individuals.
Toxicity category		1, 2, 3, 4
Warning		For all ingestions seek urgent medical assistance.