Oleander

(Nerium oleander)
White, pink, red or pale yellow flowers cover this evergreen shrub all summer. Long, narrow leaves make a nice textural contrast to other evergreens. Its fast growth rate lets you shape it as a large shrub or even a small tree; a few dwarf varieties exist as well. One caveat: all parts of the plant are very poisonous, so don’t plant it where small children, dogs or horses might eat it. (The upside is that deer won’t eat it either). (Photo: Jack Scheper/Floridata)