Is Yellow Oleander (Lucky Nut) safe for cats and dogs?
| Species | Verdict |
|---|---|
| Cats | Toxic |
| Dogs | Toxic |
Severity: Severe
Read the full first-aid guide: what to do if your pet ate something toxic
Yellow oleander (Cascabela thevetia), also sold as 'lucky nut' or 'be-still tree,' is a different genus from the common oleander (Nerium oleander) that lines so many California freeway medians, but it shares the same class of heart-stopping toxin and an easily confused common name. Unlike common oleander, yellow oleander is frost-tender: GDNC Cactus & Desert Plant Nursery, based in Desert Hot Springs in California's Coachella Valley, rates it hardy only to about 32 degrees Fahrenheit (USDA Zone 10), which limits its reliable outdoor range in the state to the warmest low-desert and coastal pockets rather than the near-freeway ubiquity of true oleander.
A narrower range does not make it a lesser hazard. ASPCA lists yellow oleander as toxic to dogs and cats, with cardenolides (cardiac glycosides) as the toxic principle and vomiting, diarrhea, and an abnormally slow heart rate as the documented clinical signs. The seeds inside the fruit carry the highest concentration and are also the part most likely to be batted around and mouthed by a curious cat or dog. Because cardiac glycoside poisoning can progress to a fatal heart rhythm, any suspected ingestion of yellow oleander is an emergency: call ASPCA Animal Poison Control (888-426-4435) or Pet Poison Helpline (855-764-7661) right away rather than waiting for symptoms to appear.
Facts and examples
- GDNC Cactus & Desert Plant Nursery (Desert Hot Springs, CA, in the Coachella Valley) rates Cascabela thevetia hardy only to about 32°F / USDA Zone 10, which limits its reliable outdoor range in California to the warmest low-desert and coastal pockets. (source, verified 2026-07-29)
- ASPCA lists yellow oleander as toxic to dogs and cats via cardenolides (cardiac glycosides), with vomiting, diarrhea, and abnormally slow heart rate as documented clinical signs. (source, verified 2026-07-29)
Verdict re-verified against aspca.org, 2026-07-29 — confirmed unchanged. Source
This page is for general information only and is not veterinary advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If your pet is showing symptoms, or you think they ate or touched something dangerous, contact your veterinarian or a pet poison-control hotline immediately.
Last verified 2026-07-29