Oleander: flowering, varieties & plants

The oleander spreads a Mediterranean flair in every garden. We show what you should consider when planting, caring for and wintering oleander.

The sight of the pink flowers of the oleander (Nerium oleander) lets everyone feel the summer warmth on their skin. The Mediterranean plant is a beautiful ornamental shrub and brings warmth and Mediterranean flair to your home.

The resilience of the oleander earned it the title of Flower of the City of Hiroshima. The citizens of the Japanese city, which was destroyed by an American atomic bomb in World War II, chose the evergreen shrub as their bearer of hope. The oleander received this honor because it was the first plant to bloom again after the attack. For 75 years the earth there was to be contaminated for all plants, but in the first year afterwards the pink flowers of the oleander brought courage and hope to the completely ruined city.

Oleander: origin and characteristics

Even in the time of Christ, the blossoms of the wild oleander shone in the Mediterranean regions. The pink flowering bushes populated the damp river valleys and floodplains of the otherwise barren landscape. Today, however, they are rarely found there. Increasing urban sprawl and restructuring of the landscape have pushed the oleander back. It can be found all the more often in gardens and on terraces, where people can bring the Mediterranean flair into their homes. Crossing them with oleander bushes from the Asian region resulted in wonderful cultivars, the variety of which is now immensely large. Oleanders are evergreen bushes to half-height trees, but they are not really hardy.

Oleander varieties

Although oleander is a single species, there are countless varieties and breeds. They differ from each other mainly in their flowers. There are varieties with single or double, single-colored or mottled flowers. The color spectrum ranges from white to pale yellow and pale pink to deep red. The growth forms and winter hardiness also vary slightly. Some varieties tend to grow as a dwarf shrub, while others can develop into real trees. The original wild form of the oleander, as it occurs naturally in the Mediterranean region, flowers pink-red and does not smell. It was only through crossing with Asian oleanders that the large variety of over 160 varieties came about.

Buy oleander

Oleanders abound in most garden centers. However, getting to some rarer varieties is not that easy. The most important criterion when buying should be the habit of the plant. Also, thoroughly inspect the plant for diseases and pests before buying. Details of the Buying the oleander as well as information on some dealers can be found here.

Planting oleanders

The right location for the oleander is clearly a warm and sunny one. He also likes protection from wind and heavy rain, for example by a stone or house wall.

It is best to plant in early spring, before the oleander really starts growing. When planting and repotting the oleander, you should attach importance to nutrient-rich, yet water-permeable soil. The optimal pH value is between 6 and 7. Our peat-free Plantura organic potting soil is a good choice for your oleander, for example. The most important thing about Plants of the oleander we have summarized for you here.

Propagate oleanders

Propagating oleander is very easy. New plants can be easily grown from cuttings and even cultivation from seeds is possible without any problems. However, in this case it will take a while for your sown oleander to start blooming. How exactly you do with the Oleander propagation proceed, we have compiled for you here.

Maintaining oleanders

The oleander is definitely one of the easy-care contemporaries. The most important point to keep in mind when caring for it is that it should always have enough water and fertilizer available in summer. In winter you should better bring it inside, but it can stay outside for a relatively long time as it can withstand temperatures of up to -5 ° C without damage from frost. More about the Caring for your oleander find out here.

Pour oleander

Forget everything that normally applies to other plants when watering them. Oleander likes water that is rich in lime - so the harder the better. Due to its natural habitat in floodplains, unlike many other species, it has no problem with wet feet. On the contrary - he even likes it. The oleander should only be watered sparingly in winter. In general, the cooler the oleander is overwintered, the less it has to be watered. More on the topic Pour oleander you can find out in our special article.

Cut oleander

The robust oleander is easy on pruning and even has no problems with a more powerful pruning. You can prune it either in late autumn or in early spring, or again and again during the summer with regular pruning. It is better to wear gloves when cutting, as the escaping sap can irritate the skin. Tips and tricks and everything that comes with Cutting back the oleander anything else to consider can be found here.

Fertilize oleander

In the floodplains, in which the oleander occurs naturally, some nutrients accumulate. So it's no wonder that the oleander is a heavy eater and needs a lot of nutrients. So fertilize your oleander at regular intervals starting in spring. Put on a slow release fertilizer like ours Plantura organic flower fertilizer. However, the fertilization season is over by the end of August at the latest, because the oleander needs enough time to winterize its young shoots. More about the Fertilizing your oleander can be found in our special article on the subject.

Hibernate oleanders

The oleander is generally not winter hardy. Only in mild regions of Germany such as the Rhineland can it theoretically survive outdoors with the right protection. However, frost to -5 ° C and even short-term snow do not harm the oleander, which is why it can spend most of the year outside. Only in the winter months between the end of November and March should you rather bring the oleander to a cool winter quarter. Find out more about the right one here Wintering of the oleander.

Oleanders: Common Diseases

Although the oleander is strong and resilient, it can also be attacked by some diseases. Particularly common diseases are oleander cancer, dry rot or, in extreme cases, even fire blight. In these cases, rigorous pruning of the infected parts of the plant usually helps. However, you should definitely pay attention to the hygiene of your cutting tools.

Gray mold and sooty mildew can also occur, but are fairly easy to control and not overly dramatic. The most important thing about symptoms and how to combat the most important Diseases of the Oleander we have prepared for you here.

Oleanders: Common pests

The most common pests on oleander are aphids, scale insects and mealybugs. They can usually be effectively combated by spraying them with a hard water jet and then spraying the plant with a mixture of water and soft soap. Spider mites are mainly a result of insufficient humidity. Spraying the plants with water in the dry winter quarters can have a preventive effect here. More detailed information on the various Oleander pests and how to combat them can be found here.

Is the oleander poisonous?

First the bad news: all parts of the oleander are poisonous. But as the saying goes: the dose makes the poison. With children and pets, however, make sure that the oleander cannot be nibbled on. What the Oleander poisonous explains how to proceed in the event of poisoning and how the oleander is used, you can find out here.

Oleander does not bloom: what to do about it

The top reasons an oleander won't flower are usually incorrect location, overfertilization or a pruning mistake. This article will tell you what you are against missing flowers in the oleander can undertake.