Question
Hi,  I have an orleander very close to my pool. Some people tell me I should move them because the roots will grow out and could go through the foundation of the pool.  Some tell me they are fine. What do you think??
Lisa

Answer
Hello Lisa

Thank you for your question

How long has the plant been there and how big is it now?  There is one variety of Oleander that grows to 20', but most grow to only 6'.

A rough 'rule of thumb' is - the root spread will be the same as the canopy spread, e.g. if the leafy part of the plant is 6' across, that's the spread the roots will have.  That means 3' out from the stem, all the way round the plant.

So - you need to know what the ultimate spread of the plant is likely to be. If you still have the label that came with the plant it should give you this information.  

If you haven't got the label, but believe that the plant is pretty old, try to get a rough measurement of how far out from the stem the leafy canopy comes.  As long as it is about 3' from your pool it should be OK.