Oleanders

The oleander is called 'aralli' in india. It is commonly found in Chennai. Pink is the most common color, though white, yellow and red exist.
The oleander is one of the most poisonous plants known and contains toxins that are deadly to people, especially to children. They are present in all parts of the plant, but are most concentrated in the sap, which can block out receptors in the skin causing numbness. Crushed oleander seeds have for long been used by the rural poor in India to commit suicide.
So now i FINALLY know why the movie 'white oleander' was named thus.

It is native to a broad area from southern europe, the Mediterranean region, southern Asia and the southern parts of China.

Here is our pink oleander in full bloom:


My mother claims we have several other colors, but they are yet to bloom. The leaves are indistinguishable from those of the pink oleander so we will have to wait for them to flower before we can tell them apart. Here is one though, that has a different coloring on its leaves. My mother thinks it is the white oleander.