Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Red Oleander Tree
Red Oleander Tree puts deep red oleander flowers on a single trunk, up where you can see them over a wall. It blooms from spring into fall and keeps its dark green leaves year round. It grows fast into a small tree about 15 to 20 feet tall and takes full sun and reflected heat. Once rooted it needs only modest water.
Best for: red flowers above a wall or fence, a fast small tree for sun and reflected heat, and year-round green leaves.
Grown on one trunk, the red flower clusters sit up high where they show over a block wall or fence. It reaches about 15 to 20 feet tall.
It grows fast in full sun, so a young tree fills out quickly. Give the head 10 to 20 feet of room across.
It takes full sun, reflected heat off walls and paving, and salty soil. It is one of the most common flowering plants in Phoenix yards for that reason.
Every part is poisonous to people and pets, so keep it away from play areas. Suckers need pulling to keep the tree shape. Oleander leaf scorch has no cure.
- Row or screen4-6 ft apart
For the first two weeks, water a new tree every 1 to 2 days in summer, or every 3 to 4 days in cooler months. Ease to about weekly in summer by the second month. Once rooted, give deep soaks from spring through fall for more flowers. In winter it needs little or no extra water.
Suckers keep coming from the base and trunk because oleander wants to be a shrub. Take them off while they are small and soft. Gloves protect your skin from the sap.
Browning leaf edges that start on one branch in summer can be leaf scorch. Check that the soil is not dry or salty first. There is no cure, so remove a plant that keeps declining.
Drainage test first. Dig the hole and fill it with water. If water is still sitting in the hole a day later, you likely hit caliche, clay or hard soil, so fix the drainage before planting. If it drains very fast, the soil is sandy. Standing water around roots is a common reason new plants fail.
Weed cloth. Cut it away from the planting hole and where the roots will spread. Remove any plastic sheeting completely, since it keeps water and air out of the soil.
Rock or decomposed granite with no soil underneath. Bring in soil close in texture to your native soil, mix it with the soil below, and build up enough depth for roots before planting.
If you can break through. Use a breaker bar, pick, or jackhammer. Dig through the caliche and break out the solid chunks. Backfill with the soil you dug out, with no compost or manure in the hole. Confirm drainage before planting.
If you cannot break through. Dig narrow holes through the hard layer beside the root ball, not under it, and refill them with the same soil, not gravel. If it still will not drain, plant on a low mound of the same soil.
Root ball. Check the outside edges for any roots circling around. Loosen or cut those so they grow outward. Do not break up the center of the root ball.
Depth. The top of the root ball should sit at or just slightly above the surrounding soil level. Planting too deep can lead to rot and kill the plant.
Drip emitters. At planting, put the emitters on the root ball, on different sides of the plant. After about 2 months, move them to the outer edge of the root ball. Over the first year, add emitters farther out toward the edge of the branches as roots grow. Once a plant is rooted, never water only at the trunk.
Is red oleander poisonous to pets?
Yes. It is toxic to dogs, cats and horses, and every part is poisonous to people too. The sap can also irritate skin. Keep it away from pet runs and wash your hands after pruning.
How tall does a red oleander tree grow?
It grows about 15 to 20 feet tall, with a head 10 to 20 feet wide. It grows fast in full sun, so give it room.
How long does it bloom?
It blooms from spring into fall, heaviest in late spring. In the Valley, flowers run from April through the summer, peaking around May.
How much water does it need?
Water regularly until it roots in, then give it deep soaks through the warm months. It gets by on little or no extra water in winter.
Why does my oleander tree keep growing shoots at the bottom?
Oleander is naturally a shrub, so a tree form keeps sending up suckers. Remove them from the base and trunk while they are young.
Does it handle frost?
It takes about 15 to 20°F. Frost can burn leaves and tips, but it regrows from below, so leave the damage in place until spring, then trim.
What does oleander leaf scorch look like?
Leaf edges turn yellow, then brown, starting on one branch in summer and spreading. Since there is no cure, rule out dry soil first, then remove infected plants.
Will it grow in salty or poor soil?
Yes. It handles salty and alkaline soil well, as long as the soil drains. Plain native soil is fine.
Can I burn oleander clippings?
No, because the smoke from burning oleander is toxic. Bag the trimmings and put them in the trash instead.
Is an oleander tree messy?
It can be. It drops a moderate amount of spent flowers and old leaves through the year, so plan on some sweeping near a patio or pool.
Can oleander bother allergies?
Yes, it can. Its pollen can bother people with allergies.
Red Oleander Tree for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Red Oleander Tree is oleander trained as a small tree, with deep red flowers from spring into fall. Here are the common questions: how big it gets, water, bloom, suckers, frost, leaf scorch and the poison in every part.
Sourced from trusted Arizona growers and delivered directly to your door, job site, or property. We deliver across the Valley and to nearby towns, and quote delivery anywhere else in Arizona.
Red oleander tree size in Arizona
It grows about 15 to 20 feet tall and 10 to 20 feet wide. It grows fast, so it reaches tree size within a few seasons in full sun.
Is red oleander toxic to dogs and cats?
Yes. It is toxic to dogs, cats and horses, and every part is poisonous to people. Plant it away from pet areas and never burn the clippings.
Best flowering trees for a hot west wall
Oleander trees take full sun and reflected heat that scorch many flowering trees. Red Oleander Tree blooms from spring into fall in those spots.
How often to water an oleander tree in summer
Deep soaks through the warm months keep it blooming once it is rooted. It needs little or no extra water in winter.
Oleander leaf scorch in Phoenix
It is a bacterial disease spread by sharpshooter insects in Phoenix and Tucson. Leaf edges yellow and brown, often on one branch first, and there is no cure.
How to stop suckers on an oleander tree
Pull or cut suckers from the base and trunk while they are young. Keep at it through the growing season to hold the single-trunk shape.
We deliver across the Valley, from Phoenix, Scottsdale and Mesa out to San Tan Valley, Maricopa and Casa Grande, and up to Prescott, Sedona, Payson and Globe. See delivery areas and rates.