That's right! Oleander is a common outdoor woody shrub in warmer regions and is grown occasionally as a large potted plant. Its flowers are show and very fragrant, but the belief that their perfume is dangerous is unfounded.

Oleander ranks with yew in toxicity. Oleander contains a poisonous principle similar to digitalis in its effect on the heart, causing arrhythmia and cardiac arrest. The effects are reversible and the horse may recover if he ingests a less-than-lethal dose (a single ounce of oleander leaves can kill a 1,000 lb. horse).