Well Poo.. I have them planted in my front yard... I really don't want something that I have to bring in over the winter.. So, we will let them bloom this year and then take them out in the spring.. Well, call it a small expense for a great learning experience..

We had talked about planting honeysuckle and triming it into a tree, maybe that will be better. I have tons of Honeysuckle around my house.. Does anyone know how to get starters from already established bushes?? If so, let me know..

Thanks,
Nea

Ever wondered why you have Honeysuckle all around your house? It is considered an invasive species, with the berries being spread by birds to remote areas. Perhaps there is something else that would do in its place for you........ Your Oleander may return from the roots if we have a very mild winter, but will usually not grow enough in one season to bloom in the same year.

I don't think all honeysuckle is considered invasive, especially some of the newer hybrids. I have a honeysuckle in my yard that has been trained into a tree on a lath post. The trunk is very large on it. It never has reseeded or come up anywhere else on my property. I don't know what cultivar or species it is - not fragrant, yellow blooms. Been planted here for a long, long time. Trunk is knarly, and very attractive. I get a few hummingbird moth caterpillars on it, which I love, love, love. The hummingbird moths love to nectar on the flowers, too. Very versatile plant.

Susan

I don't think that honeysuckle is invasive either. I love the smell of it outside my kitchen window, and we have a few hummingbirds that have nested in it. It was planted by the last owners years ago. I have three different varieties, and I love all of them. . . This is why we want to plant them in the front yard and trim as a tree if the oleanders do not make it.

From what I read, the oleander will grow here as long as it is protected from direct frost. So, until they are to big to cover, we are going to try covering them this winter to see if they come back...

In Love and Light,
Nea

Intelligence and imagination are the ultimate aphrodisiacs...

When I was in the San Francisco bay area last year I noticed Oleanders growing rampantly all over the place, especially along the highways. They seem to love that SF climate where it really never freezes, but it also really never gets hot. They get very little rain actually...but a LOT of fog. I would think they would be quite a challenge in Oklahoma but its worth a try. Keep in mind they are quite poisonous.
-MB

I don't mean to belabor the point but the Japanese Honeysuckle is on the Oklahoma Invasive species list as well as most other states invasive species lists. If you are happy with yours so be it.

Here is a link that might be useful: Honeysuckle

I bought a pink oleander last summer, grew it all summer, then dug it up and kept it in the greenhouse last winter. It it now well over six feet tall and eight feet wide, and has been blooming for over a month. It's gorgeous. I absolutely love it. I am now dying for a variegated oleander shrub/bush.

Funny story... Last winter I went out to the greenhouse and there was yellow "fluff" all over the back part of the greenhouse. Honestly, my first thought was that a yellow cat had gotten into the exhaust fan and yellow "fur" was everywhere. I knew that wasn't what had happened, but that was my first thought. It turned out it was the seed pods on the oleander. They had all burst open during the night and the fluffy seed puffs were every where. LOL

All honeysuckle is not Japanese honeysuckle, though, which is lonicera japonica purpurea. There are many other species and cultivars of honeysuckle which are not invasive. Like lonicera sempervivens, a totally different species of honeysuckle, and there are many cultivars, or hybrids, of that particular species.

Susan

Wildflower.. did you pot it up over the winter? I do not have a green house (on my wish list) but my garage doesn't freeze and its pretty good size...

In Love and Light,
Nea

Nea, check out all the gorgeous Oleanders on the following website. Note there are several listed as being freeze tolerant so maybe you got lucky and have one of them. :-)

Here is a link that might be useful: International Oleander Society

I'm guessing what they mean by "freeze tolerant" is the plant will not die back to the soil if exposed to a short freeze. If the temps stay below freezing for 3- 4 hours the plant if left uncovered will have minor damage and then recover without serious die-back.

Don't get your hopes up that the plant will survive in the ground through the winter to the point it will do anything worth mentioning to others the next year.

randy

I'm over the OK border just 8 miles, south of Ft. Smith. I've had 3 oleanders planted in the ground for several years. They have made it thru the winters here..at least the last few mild ones. Some years, they freeze to the ground and some they don't. Problem is, I'll never see blooms on them.

Nea

My grandmother wintered many potted tropicals in her garage over the winter. She had some gorgeous plants.

Dawna

Your Oleander story got me missing having one. I ordered a red calypso.

randy

I just found out that the large flowering tree in my back yard is a Oleander. I was wondering for 2 years becuase I never see any around OKC. So I took a twig and gave it to my tree friend and woot now I know what it is. I love it becuase in winter it looks spooky but it blooms all summer pretty white and pink flowers. Only bad thin is did not now I had a very toxic tree in my back yard

Hi

I see you are new to Garden web. Welcome.

Could you post a closeup picture of the bloom and surrounding leaves of your plant? It is impossible to have a "large" flowering oleander in your yard in zone 7. You should take a branch to your local extension office and have it properly identified.

Most Oleanders when exposed to freezing temps for 6 hours or so will die back to their roots.

randy

I am not a tree expect but friend is a tree lover. how do I post a picture, I took 2 shots from a phone. I know that I have looked all over oklahoma City and cannot find anything like it.

Also my friend from florida also said it was an Oleander and she was in shock becuase she also did not believe one could grow in okc but mine is about 13 years old so maybe it survived mild winters and once got going survived the other winters. Also it has other trees around it maybe the helped protect it. I even looked all over the web and it matches plenty of Oleanders. Soon as I can I will send pictures to anyone who wants to see it.

Well I know now I am wrong! Thanks randy for the help. I've had 2 friends tell me I have an Oleander in yard yard. So I wanted to know more about the tree thats how I ended here. I started to doubt that it was an Oleander becuase of randys information.
So I took it to TLC in OKC asked to talk to tree expert. 3 sales people said it was an Oleander before I got to the truth. Then I asked the expert there and he showed me the tree! It's a Chitalpa Tree. I feel like an idiot! The funny thing is it looks so much like a Oleander why are they not everywhere in OKC? It flowers all summer.

The type of oleander I purchased is Nerium Oleander, and from what I find, it is only hardy to zone 9.

Here is what I found..

Location
Nerium oleander is native to northern Africa, the eastern Mediterranean basin and southeast Asia. Oleander prefers dry, warm climates and may naturalize in such areas.

So, we will see if it survives. I think I will try bringing them in if they get to big to cover this year.

Wish me luck! :)

In Love and Light,
Nea

I have had one for several years that comes back from the bottom stems. I cut it to about six inches in the spring so I don't have to look at the bare 6 ft stems b4 it comes back. Only problem with this is I haven't seen it bloom in a while.

Hello from Texas!

I have oleanders here in zone 7b. Our pink one dies back if we have a very dry cold winter. I just trim it back and it grows back to 6' and blooms. With all the rain we have had this year it has been very pretty.

Also have white oleanders and red oleanders. The red has been in this garden for many years, was well over 10 feet wide when I rooted some cuttings and dug up the original plant to make room for some changes.

Yes, they are toxic but so are many other plants in our gardens. I don't graze at my plants, do not have small children and my pets are not in the least bit interested in them...the dog is more interested in the lizards in the compost pile and the cats stake out the birdbath! LOL

I hope your oleander has brought you joy! Good luck with it!

Happy Gardening,
Peggy

I am going to have to find the Oleander look alike the Chitalpa Tree.. I really want something that gets full sun and blooms alot. . I would get Rose of Sharron, but I have some in the back yard...

I hope everyone is keeping cool this summer!

Good Sunday Morning all! I am posting from home today because I have an emergency! Probably really need to hear from Randy about a sad oleander in a pot. (Randy's what you call an expert!) Although my first choice could be on holiday as I wish I were. Anybody other experts staying home in the yard this weekend?

So to my plant...I've had a fine hot pink oleander in a pot for couple of years. In and out for seasons. Yesterday noticed all bottom leaves yellowing. Plant is maybe 5 foot tall and actually several stalks instead of single stem. 4 sure probably needs new pot first. It may be getting more sun on porch this year but haven't noticed any insect although it always has aphids at blossom end....I gave nice drink with fish emul early yesterday and boy is she sad this morning. Please reply if you have thoughts anyone!

Enjoy the BBQ & always Remember!

laura

Hi Laura,

Just lightly knock it out of the pot. If it really needs to be repotted, it will be obvious. You can slip it right back into the pot and roundup everything you need to get the job done. Then "Git'er dunn."

Old leaves yellow and drop naturally. They tend to be on the bottom of the plant.

Being severely under potted can cause yellow leaves. An obvious sign is if the soil looks dry too quickly.

Over watering can cause yellow leaves. Does the soil stay wet?

randy

I brought an oleander back with me from AZ one year..down in Southern Oklahoma I got it to live on the south side of my home for 4 years, the last year, we had ice, snow and freezing temps.. that killed it off, even with heavy mulching in the winter

I just brought one with me from Texas... going to give it a try. Might have to be in a pot but going to be well worth the trouble - I just love the blooms.

I agree! Well worth the trouble. Mine is starting to set blooms now that warm weather has arrived.

There is nothing wrong with growing them in a pot. :-)

randy

Live in Tulsa area and am putting butterfly and hummingbird garden together...do you suggest any particular subspecies of oleander?