an ornamental but poisonous flowering shrub having narrow evergreen leaves and clusters of fragrant white to pink or red flowers: native to East Indies but widely cultivated in warm regions
An oleander is an evergreen tree or shrub that has white, pink, or purple flowers. Oleanders grow in Mediterranean countries and in some parts of Asia and Australia. a green bush with white, pink, or purple flowers (perhaps from rhododendron). Any of the ornamental evergreen shrubs of the genus Nerium (dogbane family), which have poisonous milky juice. Numerous varieties of flower colour in the common oleander, or rosebay (N. oleander), have been introduced from greenhouse culture and are grown outdoors in warmer climates. All parts of the plant are very toxic if eaten, and contact with them may cause skin irritation
[ 'O-lE-"an-d&r, "O-lE-' ] (noun.) 1548. Medieval Latin, alter. of arodandrum, lorandrum, perhaps alteration of Latin rhododendron; more at RHODODENDRON.