Plant in full sun and give regular irrigation in the summer. Hardy to 27° F. An interesting and attractive tree that adds tropical fare to the landscape, but it should be noted that its milky sap contains a cardiac glycoside called thevetin so care should be used as all parts of the plant are considered poisonous.

This plant's natural range is widespread throughout Mexico south into tropical South America and it has been introduced and naturalized throughout tropical and subtropical regions of the world. The typical color form is yellow but white and apricot color forms have long been cultivated in California. When the Italian botanist Dr. Francesco Franceschi (AKA Emanuele Orazio Fenzi) arrived in Santa Barbara in 1895 he documented the yellow form growing well here and also noted the presence of the apricot flower form. The current name for this species is Cascabela thevetia but it has long been cultivated as Thevetia neriifolia or Thevetia peruviana, so we continue to list it under its older name. The name for the genus honors André Thevet (1502-1592) a French monk who traveled in Brazil and Guiana and the specific epithet refers to a collection location in Peru. The origin of its current genus name

We grew all color forms of this plant from 1997 to 2003 but it should not be confused with a larger more treelike Giant Thevetia that we continue to grow called Cascabela thevetioides. 

Information displayed on this page about Thevetia peruviana is based on our research conducted about this plant in our nursery library as well as from information provided by reliable online resources. We also include our own observations made about it as it has grown in the nursery gardens and other gardens visited, as well how the crops of this plant performed in the containers in our nursery field. We will also include comments received from others and welcome hearing from anyone who has information about this plant, particularly if it includes cultural information aiding others to better grow it.