Oleander - a warm weather and coastal classic. Comes in many colors and a few doubles and a few variegated forms. Certain types will survive in the Raleigh area but they never bloom as much as they do down south on the coast.

Nerium oleander is the scientific name.

Be careful, the sap is very very toxic. It is one of the most toxic plants on the planet.

Okay, thanks. Never knew what an Oleander looked like. It's always the real pretty ones that can get ya. :-) I'll be staying away from that one.

They are safe plant to have around. You just have to wear gloves when you prune them and never get any of the juices from the leaves or stems into your body. They are very common in parks and along public walkways and people being killed by them is very very rare.

Would that I could..they're banned from my neighborhood (on that darned list of stuff we're not allowed to plant)
That red is just gorgeous. Saw them in planted medians down in Hilton Head. Such nice texture and growth habit and long blooming.
Will they bloom again if you trim off spent flower heads?

Hey guys! I am just back from the Oak Island area of the beach, and have another shrub question. Don't shoot me, but I didn't have my camera, so this may be impossible to answer. Anyway, along the road from there to Wilmington there were a bunch of shrubs to almost tree-sized plants that had white flowers that may have had dark red centers. It reminded me of a Stewartia, maybe, or a little Magnolia. It was not a mallow, although I did see some beauties somewhere else down there. And yes, there were some lovely pure white oleander at the house next to us. Hope the kids there steered clear! Thanks everybody, glad to be back and access your smarts!

Maybe they are Gordonias, which have a white bloom similar to Stewartia. The only time I have seen them bloom was at the end of the season in early October, and they were finishing blooming. I am not sure if they start blooming earlier. I have one, but it has not yet bloomed here. Maybe this link will help.

Here is a link that might be useful: Gordonia

Ncrescue, That's it!! Thank you so much! I will have to look for one. The foliage is just as attractive to me as the flower. Thank you so much. I knew I could count on you guys.