White Oleander tells the unforgettable story of the relationship between a mother, Ingrid and her daughter, Astrid. When Ingrid is jailed for a crime of passion, Astrid is shunted through a series of Los Angeles foster homes - each its own universe with its own laws, dangers and hard lessons to be learned. Whilst Ingrid tries to give Astrid the power to survive, Astrid tries to show her mother how to love her in what becomes a redeeming journey of self discovery.