Which oleander to plant according to your region?

You live in the Mediterranean region.

You are one of the lucky gardeners who will enjoy the charms of mild and bright winters, characteristic of the Mediterranean climate. The entire collection of our oleanders is yours, but here is a selection made for you:

• The Oleander ‘Emilie’ is a beautiful evergreen bush with a bushy habit, featuring a long and abundant flowering of bright light pink. Its single flowers bloom from June to October. Floriferous and easy to grow, it is drought-resistant and insensitive to salty sea spray. Hardy, it can withstand short frosts of around -8/-10 °C once well established. It is the ideal oleander for a seaside garden.
• The Oleander Nerium oleander yellow is an excellent evergreen bush for mild climates, very floriferous, easy to grow, and drought-resistant. This variety with single flowers of bright yellow will easily find its place in a large hedge.
• The Nerium oleander red bears beautiful red flowers from June to October. Quite large, they resemble periwinkles and are gathered in terminal bouquets. Its foliage, a dark blue-green, is lighter on the underside and remains on the plant in winter. It forms a bushy shrub with rigid, upright stems. Excellent in pots, in hedges, or in borders, it can also be planted alone or grouped in clumps. Provide it with light, well-draining soil and a sunny position, sheltered from severe cold. It tolerates dryness in the ground and should be watered regularly in pots. It is tolerant of sea spray.
• The oleander Nerium oleander white is the iconic large shrub of the regions bordering the Mediterranean. The flowers of this variety are simple, countless, of an absolutely pure white, and slightly fragrant.

Nerium oleander ‘Emilie’ with pink flowers. On the right column, the yellow, red single, and white oleanders. The oleander is originally a riverside plant, hence its Latin name Nerium from the Greek nerios, meaning “moist”.

You live in the Atlantic fringe.

How can we do without these large bushes, often flowering and fragrant? They are irreplaceable for adding a splash of colour in the heart of summer. Magnificent in open ground, they can grow into very large bushes, reaching heights of 3 to 4 m and widths of 2 m over time. Feel free to plant them in all mild regions, taking care to protect them during the first few years, just in case.

• The oleander ‘Provence’, also known as ‘Souvenir de Michel’, is a very hardy and vigorous variety. It grows quickly and can reach 3 to 4 m in height and 2 m in width. Its flowers, about 7 cm in size, are double or even triple and very fragrant. Its spectacular flowering features a unique colour, a blend of salmon orange and pink.
• The Oleander ‘Luteum Plenum’ produces beautiful large crumpled flowers in a lovely golden yellow colour. They bloom throughout the summer and exude an intense sweet fragrance. Thanks to its great hardiness (down to -15 °C), it is a must-have along the Atlantic coast.
• The oleander ‘Alsace’ bears delicate single flowers in pale pink from June to October, with a light fragrance. They resemble periwinkles, measuring 5 to 6 cm in diameter, gathered in bouquets. This is a very floriferous variety, especially in sunny locations. It has dark green-blue foliage, with a lighter underside. Excellent for hedges or borders, it can also be planted as a specimen.

You live in the great south-west.

Your oleanders will benefit from ocean rains and the mildness coming from the Mediterranean. The hardiness of oleanders varies according to the varieties. During the first 2 to 3 years of outdoor cultivation, it is strongly advised to protect them in case temperatures drop below -8ºC.

Here is a selection of hardy varieties that are suitable for the winters of the region.

• The Oleander ‘Roseum Plenum’ produces beautiful large double flowers of a lovely deep pink. This highly fragrant variety fills the air with its scent all summer long. It can reach 2-3 m in height. It is an excellent evergreen bush for mild climates, very floriferous, easy to grow, and resistant to both salt spray and drought.
• The Oleander ‘Jannoch’ is a particularly floriferous variety that bears single flowers of a vibrant raspberry red from June to October. They are enhanced by elegant dark green foliage, attractive even outside of flowering. It is low-maintenance, easy to grow in any well-drained soil, and resistant to both salt spray and drought.
• The Double Red Oleander produces large and beautiful flowers at the end of long, flexible stems that give it a weeping appearance. The petals of each flower are often striated with bright white. This true little tree (it can reach 3.5 m) with evergreen leaves is particularly well-suited to the coastal regions of the Atlantic. It is salt-tolerant and drought-resistant.

Large double-flowered oleander

And everywhere else

In all other situations in France, you will need to grow your oleander in a pot. You will equally enjoy its long summer flowering, but you will be required to winter it, ideally in an unheated conservatory or a bright frost-free room.

Here is a selection of compact varieties ideal for brightening up terraces and balconies in the beautiful season:

• Oleander ‘Papa Gambetta’ with large fire-red flowers. This highly fragrant variety fills gardens, balconies, and terraces with its scent all summer long. Oleander ‘Papa Gambetta’ is a compact variety that can reach 1.5 m in height, ideal for pots or containers.
• Oleander ‘Soleil Levant’ with double flowers measuring 5 to 6 cm in diameter, featuring fairly narrow petals spread apart in a dark apricot colour with a slight fragrance. The buds are elongated, dark pink, almost red. This is a very beautiful medium-sized oleander, with a compact habit, early and floriferous. At its adult size, it does not exceed 2 m. Suitable for planting in a container, as a standalone, or in a mass, it is hardier than other varieties (-11 °C).

• Oleander ‘Angiolo Pucci’ the most compact of all, it forms a bush with a diameter of 120 cm at maturity. It has a generous flowering with delightful ivory flowers with an orange throat.

Find our tips on wintering oleander to ensure they have a peaceful winter.

To learn more about the hardiness of oleanders

Robert Leroy (1929-2018) was a passionate landscaper of oleander in Châtellerault. During the harsh winter of 1986, he observed the hardiness of some of his oleanders. He had the idea to conduct trials with other collector gardeners across France. This work led to the creation of a specific hardiness scale for oleanders ranging from 0 to 5, but of course, this scale only applies to plants in open ground.