What soil does Oleander grow in?

It tolerates these soils: average garden soil, clay, sandy, calcareous.

Hardy down to -10 °C (USDA zone 8, RHS H4). Outdoors in this country it only survives with winter protection, or in a pot overwintered frost-free.

How far from the house should Oleander be planted?

Plant it at least 1.5 m from buildings. Keep it at least 0.5 m from paving.

When does Oleander flower?

Flowering: June–October, pink, white, red, yellow, orange.

How much water does Oleander need?

Water need: medium. Drought tolerance: high.

How much does Oleander cost?

It sells for roughly €14 to €30 in local shops, depending on size.

What should I plant instead of Oleander?

We do not recommend it for most Central European gardens. For a similar purpose we recommend: Laurustinus, Adam's needle, Blue Arrow juniper, Holly osmanthus.

Oleander

Nerium oleander

Oleander (Nerium oleander) is a shrub. Light: full sun, part shade. Hardy down to -10 °C. Drought tolerance: high. Toxic to dogs, cats and children. Sold in local shops from about €14. We do not recommend it for most Central European gardens.

Illustration of Oleander — An illustration of the typical shape of the mature plant, not a photo.

What it's good for, and what it isn't

Not hardy in Central Europe, so grow it in a large pot: in the sunniest, warmest, sheltered spot it flowers for months in pink, white, red or yellowish shades. In summer it wants plenty of water and regular feeding, and it is perfectly happy with hard tap water. In autumn leave it outside until the first lasting night frosts (it takes brief dips to about minus 5 °C), then overwinter it somewhere bright, cool and airy at 5 to 10 °C with very little water, and in spring, once hard frosts are over, get it used to the sun again step by step. Every part is highly poisonous, so it does not belong near small children or pets.

We do not recommend this plant

We do not recommend it for most Central European gardens. Further down we show what to plant instead.

Watch out for

In Central Europe it can only be kept in a container with frost-free overwintering; in a dark or too warm winter room it turns leggy, drops leaves and gets overrun by pests. The usual pests are scale insects, spider mites (mostly in dry, stuffy rooms), mealybugs and aphids: check the plant before moving it in and through the winter, and wash the leaves down. Oleander canker (a Pseudomonas bacterium) causes knobbly, splitting galls on shoots, leaves and flower heads: cut affected parts back to healthy wood in dry weather and disinfect the blades after every cut. Do not shorten the shoot tips needlessly, because next year's flowers form there.

Key facts

Light: Full sun, Part shade
Water need: Medium
Care: Medium
Size after 10 years: 2 m × 1.5 m
Hardiness: down to -10 °C
Foliage: Evergreen
Flowering: J F M A M J J A S O N D June–October, pink, white, red, yellow, orange

Group	Shrub
Light	Full sun, Part shade
Size after 10 years	2 m × 1.5 m
Ultimate size	1.2–4 m × 1.2–3 m
Hardiness	down to -10 °C (USDA 8, RHS H4)
Soil	Average garden soil, Clay, Sandy, Calcareous
Foliage	Evergreen
Flowering	June–October, pink, white, red, yellow, orange
Water need	Medium
Drought tolerance	High
Maintenance	Medium
Root aggressiveness	Low
Suckering	no
Spreading	Low
Distance from buildings	at least 1.5 m
Distance from paving	at least 0.5 m
Litter	not typical
Planting distance	150 cm
For dogs	Toxic
For cats	Toxic
For children	Toxic
Typical price	from about €14

Toxicity data is for information only. If your pet or child has eaten a plant, contact a vet or a doctor.

What to plant instead

Recommended plants that do the same job, with similar characteristics.

Laurustinus

Viburnum tinus 2 m × 2 m after 10 years

A Mediterranean evergreen viburnum with dark, glossy foliage that flowers from late autumn in mild winters, otherwise from late winter into spring:…

Shrub

Full sun

Part shade

from about €12

Adam's needle

Yucca filamentosa 1.8 m × 1.2 m after 10 years

It forms a stemless evergreen rosette of sword-shaped leaves edged with white threads, and in early summer sends up a head-high stalk carrying…

Shrub

Full sun

from about €13

Blue Arrow juniper

Juniperus scopulorum 'Blue Arrow' 3.5 m × 60 cm after 10 years

A very narrow, steel-blue column that takes up little ground yet draws a vertical line you can see from across the garden. It wants full sun and…

Shrub

Full sun

from about €9

Holly osmanthus

Osmanthus heterophyllus 2 m × 1.5 m after 10 years

An evergreen shrub with glossy, dark green, spiny leaves that look like holly, bearing tiny white flowers in autumn whose scent carries a long way…

Shrub

Full sun

Part shade

from about €5.90

Sizes and prices available

The same plant is sold as a small pot and as a specimen several metres tall, and the price follows. Prices are rounded and for guidance only.

Size	Typical price
30-50 cm	approx. €22
80 cm	approx. €30
90-110 cm	approx. €18
size not stated	approx. €18

Frequently asked questions

Data updated: October 13, 2026 · How our data is made

Looks good next to it

Japanese spindle

Euonymus japonicus

Winter jasmine

Jasminum nudiflorum

Globe plane

Platanus × hispanica 'Alphen's Globe'