Nerium oleander

The oleander plant originates in the warmer realms, like the Mediterranean area, that’s why we advise you to cultivate this Mediterranean plant in a pot. By now, there are many different oleander varieties in trade, and the blossom’s colour is not the only difference. If you want to do everything right while caring for this evergreen plant, just follow our care directions.

Plant Profile

• Oleander (Nerieae)
• Kind: Oleander (Nerium oleander)
• only kind of the plant genus Nerium
• Common Name: Evergreen Oleander
• altogether ca. 160 kinds
• Origin: Mediterranean area, Mid East and China
• evergreen, woody plant
• Height growth: up to 3 m
• Blossom: In heat areas all-year, otherwise May to October
• panicles in white or rose-coloured
• Leaves: leathery, lance-like
• all parts are poisonous

If you wish a Mediterranean feeling on your terrace or balcony, just get oleander. This sun-loving plant will blossom on every occasion and show its differently coloured blossoms. Nerium Oleander is not only available in white, rose, or bright orange tones, but also with filled and unfilled blossoms.

But one thing is really important, when it comes to cultivating oleander: it needs a frost-protected winter habitat, since they are not made for field cultivation in most German regions. The oleander is an evergreen and blossoming bush that can grow up to 3 metres, if you let it grow. The leathery leaves come in a lance-like form and can grow up to 15 cm.

The oleander’s blossoms grow in clusters, while single blossoms are three to five centimetres in diameter. Most blossoms are available in white, different rose colours, or reds and they can appear throughout the whole year, or in colder regions starting in May. By now, you can not only get the original kinds with unfilled blossoms, but also hybrids with filled ones.

Care

If you put it into an ideal location, this Mediterranean bush can be quite resilient and needs no further care apart from a lot of water and nutrients.

Location

The oleander is a real sun plant that will blossom all year with enough sun and warmth. The ideal location is on a south or southwest aligned wall, where the plant is also protected against wind and rain. During the colder night hours, the heated wall can provide warmth.

• Light Requirement: high
• as warm as possible
• wind- and rain protected

If you place the plant on the eastern side of your house, the blossoms will develop much slower, northern sides should not be used. Free-standing locations in bright sunlight are possible, but the oleander has to deal with rain or wind, which will really damage kinds with filled blossoms.

Soil Conditions

Oleander comes with high demands regarding the substrate. In the outdoors the plants grow at the courses of rivers, partly on stony and submerged soils. These soils are often chalky and tightly compressed. Normal soil, which usually contains turf, is therefore not suitable for cultivation.

• nutrient-rich
• containing clay
• chalky
• special pot planting soil for oleander
• mix of garden soil, compost and clay
• additionally mix in a bit of garden chalk

Planting

Planting Time

If you have a warm climate you can plant oleander in your garden during the spring. Since most plants’ winter hardiness is not enough in our realms, they can only be planted and exist outside in viticultural areas during the colder months. For this purpose you should only choose kinds that are more frost-resistant and have unfilled blossoms.

Patch Planting

If you want to plant your oleander plant outside, you have to prepare your garden’s soil beforehand. Only the fewest soils are naturally made to act as a substrate. If you seek for evergreen rose bay in nature, you may see that it largely grows within the flooded areas of bank zones, that square measure nutrient-rich and condensed.

• enrich soil with compost and clay
• mix in plenty of chalk
• strongly condense the soil
• pH-Value: between 6 and 8,3

Diseases

Even if you keep your oleander in great condition, it can become diseased. The most common cause for that are care mistakes.

Leaf Fall

During hot days a sudden falling of leaves can occur. In most cases, this is normal, since an oleander leaf only ages up to approximately 2 years and the plant doesn’t mandatorily lose its leaves during the winter. Another cause can be water deficiency. Check the root ball, if it’s good dry that’s the cause.

Brown Leaf margins

If the leaves grow brown from the outside and become dry, this can indicate a sunburn, or too much fertiliser. These damages cannot be repaired, but they also won’t really damage your oleander. That’s why you should keep sun protection in mind, especially during the spring. Overly fertilised substrate has to be flushed with a lot of warm water.

Pale Leaves

If leaves colour themselves in a pale green or if the leaf-veins can easily be seen since they are too dark, an iron deficiency can be the cause. The most common cause is not lacking fertiliser, but a wrong ph-Value inside the ground. In this case fresh soil and fertilising chalk will help.