The oleander is a flowering shrub that comes from the Mediterranean region and is found primarily in North Africa, southern and central Italy as well as Spain and Greece, not only as a cultivated plant but also as a wild plant. In appropriately favorable locations, the oleander can grow to be several meters high and develop a very impressive stature. However, such favorable conditions cannot be found in this country - primarily for climatic reasons.
Can you plant oleander in Germany?
In Germany, it is better to cultivate an oleander in a pot as it is not hardy and cannot survive sub-zero temperatures. Temporary planting in the garden is possible in summer, but should be returned to the protected winter quarters for overwintering.
Oleander is not hardy
In principle, older and therefore more robust oleanders can tolerate temperatures of up to minus five degrees Celsius - but only for a very short time and under no circumstances in combination with ground frost and other inconveniences. In other words: The oleander, which is adapted to the mild Mediterranean climate, is neither winter nor frost hardy and, if you plant it in the garden, would most likely not survive a typical German winter. Therefore, keeping it in a container is always recommended so that the shrub can be moved to winter quarters in good time. Overwintering in a dark place - for example in a cellar - doesn't necessarily harm the plant, it should just be frost-free.
Wintering oleander outside in sheltered locations?
Now, as is well known, the winters in Germany are not equally severe everywhere, so planting can be tried in some regions such as the German wine-growing regions. So if you live in the Rhine-Moselle area and your winters are rather mild: give it a try. However, for such an experiment, it is better to choose an older, already hardened plant and pack it well, for example with gardening fleece (€7.00 on Amazon) and/or bubble wrap. It doesn't get terribly cold every winter either, some of these seasons remain mild. In such months you don't necessarily have to put the oleander away, you can leave it outside - but as soon as the temperatures drop, you have to react quickly and put the shrub in the cellar. Of course, this only works if it is cultivated in a bucket.
Temporary planting over the summer possible
However, you can also use your oleander temporarily - i.e. H. for a limited time - and plant it in the garden together with the planter. Only the planter should be removed so that the shrub only stands in the plant pot in the ground. This pot usually has holes in the bottom so that the oleander's roots can grow through and supply themselves with water from the soil. As soon as it gets too cold, the shrub can easily be dug up again and overwintered under cold house conditions.
Tip
Don't put your oleander into its winter quarters too early: the longer the plant is outside, the more it hardens and also survives the low-light months better. The shrub only needs to be cleared away during frosty periods.
