Thevetia peruviana is a poisonous plant native throughout Mexico and in Central America, and cultivated widely as an ornamental. It is a bush or small tree which is widely planted in the tropics as an attractive hedge or ornamental bush. It tolerates most soils but prefers sandy ones. It's commonly used as a hedge in many areas of Uganda. In Kampala, Thevetia peruviana can be found within Makerere university, along Lumumba avenue, Nakasero hill road among other places.

Thevetia peruviana is an evergreen multi-stemmed shrub or shady small tree usually growing 3 - 8 meters tall with a short bole. All parts of the plant contain the milky juice.

BARK: grey-brown, wide shallow fissures, fairly smooth but rougher at the base with small flutes.

LEAVES: shiny, narrow, in spiralsaround the stem, about 10 cm long.

FLOWERS: yellow, white or salmonand funnel-shaped, in narrow trumpets, petalstwisted in budto 6 cm long, and the green baseextending to thetrumpet edge.

FRUIT: fleshy, 4-angled to rounded, about 3 cm across, stalked with a flat triangular nut inside. The fruits are green in color but become black on ripening.  Each fruit contains a nut which is longitudinally and transversely divided.  

Agroforestry: grown to provide shade and for soil conservation, can be trimmed and makes a useful hedge of living fence.

An oil obtained from the seeds is used for industry and in soap making.

The kernels act as a contact poison; mashed with a soap solution they are used as an insecticide.

The bark and seeds are used to poison rats.

The wood is used to make tool handles and building poles.

The wood is used for fuel.

Medicine: latex, the bark, leaves, the seeds, roots fruits. http://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php id=Thevetia%20peruviana