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Is oleander hardy? Many people ask this question when the plant is outdoors. However, it cannot be answered in general, because there can be considerable differences in the varieties and cultivated forms. Interested hobby gardeners can find out here what to look out for and which oleander varieties are suitable for wintering outdoors.
Hibernation outdoors
In principle, every oleander plant can be overwintered outdoors - if the climate is right. In mild regions and winters, most oleander species are hardy or, to a lesser extent, frost-resistant.
Appropriate protection can also be used to ensure that the plant is not damaged. Twigs and mulch as protection on the ground and a special overwintering fleece can help protect the plant from frost damage. In addition, the fleece keeps the snow load away from the branches. This could also become a problem, as the densely leafy branches can break off under it.
Even then, however, it is an important prerequisite that the plant was planted outdoors and not cultivated in a bucket. In this case, the frost can penetrate the roots more easily and cause cells to die off. Oleanders cultivated in pots should therefore always be wintered in a frost-free place indoors.
Frost-resistant oleander varieties
As mentioned, the oleander plant itself is not hardy. However, some species are more resistant to frost than others. These include, among others:
- Provence
- Nerium villa romaine
- Jannoch
- Hardy Red
- Nerium cavalaire
- Margarita
- Italy
- Nerium atlas
Even with these, however, there are limits to winter hardiness. It is therefore important to protect the oleander outdoors accordingly. In addition, they should only be planted outdoors when the winters are very mild and the temperatures do not fall below -10 °C to -15 °C.
Because even the resistant oleander species are damaged at temperatures below -17 °C. The safe choice is therefore culture in a tub with wintering indoors.
Overwinter oleander plants indoors
Even if it's oleander, which is supposed to be hardy, very harsh winters can kill the plant. If you want to be on the safe side, you should cultivate the plant in a bucket and overwinter frost-free.
You should continue to water the plant. However, watering must be done sparingly to avoid waterlogging. In addition, the plant must be bright because it does not shed its leaves in winter and thus continues to photosynthesize. In addition, the room should be frost-free but cool so that the oleander plant can go dormant.