Orleanders

I have two orleanders. One very large one quite young. Last year the large one I put behind glass for the winter but am wondering whether anyone has left them out during the winter and what their chances are as far as frost is concerned. The small one I will put in as it is only a couple of feet tall, which is roughly what the large one was this time last year. I also have a bouganvillia that I usually bring in. Any advice would be appreciated.

 

moyra, I left two oleanders outside last year in their pots with no protection on my allotment, didn't think they would survive but wasn't really that bothered.
Both came through with some damage but only slight. I've now planted them out of their pots but they were slow to get going this spring, but then I didn't water them as I should have done. :rolleyes:
Bougainvillea however is a bit different, I dont think that stands much chance at all outside here, that is unless you've got a really sheltered sunny wall, that is in effect, frost free.

 

The oleanders should be protected in winter. Mulch their roots and protect new growth in spring and they will start up much more quickly. If they are in pots wrap the pots with bubble wrap and the tops with fleece.
I agree with Pete, Bougainvillea will not survive frost. As you say you can put things behind glass, I'd do that, but still protect against frost. Again things will start up again more quickly if you protect new growth in spring. It's sad when things shoot in Feb. or March and then get caught by a later frost. I've lost far more plants like this than from cold winters!

 

Thank you Pete and Liz. I have now put them both behind glass. I have a small glass fronted shed which I use to winter things in. It worked ok last year. All I did was put a lamp in there to heat it on the very cold nights. This year I am going to try to find a heater of some form that will go in there. I pack hay all around the pots to protect them and at the very bottom I run a thick piece of polystyrene up to pot height to give them insulation between pots and glass. So fingers crossed. The bourganvillia I have brought indoors and put it in a light corner.

 

Moyra
I find that red Oleander is a lot less hardy than white. A minimum of 3 or 4C will keep the white one alive but not the red one. Bougainvillea will survive, just, at these temps but will loose their leaves. Again the native purple ones are a tad hardier than the orange, red, yellow varieties. At a maintained night time minimum of 6-7C they will flower all through the winter, as will Abutillons and Daturas. And the green flies will survive too.
Nik

 

Nik, Thank you. I have been out today to buy a load of rabbits hay to put all around the pots in the cold storage I have for them. The white one is my new orleander which is still only a couple of feet tall. My red one is now standing about 5 feet and quite bushy but I have managed to get it into the cold storage. The bougainvillia is indoors in a cool corner of the lounge near a long window. (last year I put it in the cold storage but with the orleanders getting bigger space is of the essence.) I have an olive tree which is supposed to take at least -6c but again for the last two winters I have placed it in the cold storage. Also a vine. I am very au fait with good all english plants but what I term continental I just do not have the nerve to risk them as just one bad winter and you can lose several years growth of plant and it can be an expensive exercise! So I am quite chicken and take the lesser of the evils but where is this global warming?

 

Friends, I think I should say that I started working on a Nursey when I was just 14 years old and was part of that complex for over thirty years so if anyone wants advice on English plants I am not too bad. It is just since my departure from then I have been more attracted to the continental type plants and am concentrating my interest in the likes of Orleanders, Olives, Bourganvillias and such like so I have to learn anew which I find fascinating. I do hope to participate more in the site as I get to know people.

 

Moyra, I left an olive plant outside all last winter in its pot, no problem. It was near the house and therefore gained some protection, I've now planted it out in a protected area, who knows what this winter will bring. Its always a gamble in this country, but things eventually get too big to bring in, so you have to let them take their chances, you can get some suprising results.

 

Pete, Thanks, when I bought the olive tree last year they told me it had wintered out for two years but I was still sceptical and so brought it in last year. I only had one olive fruit on it last year. This year I didn't have any but I did clip it to make sure it would fit into the cold house so sometimes this affects the fruiting.....do you have much knowledge of olive trees? Apart from seeing them in situ in jugoslavia and greece, I have none! Sorry other than the advice on the ticket that came with it which says it should stand frosts up to -6c which is quite cold isn't it? I am still struggling with the f conversion to c!

 

Well I'm not exactlly a leading authority on olives, only been growing them for three years :D
So I havent got much of my own experience to share, I do understand that some fairly old plants are around in the UK and growing pretty well, I think its obvious that you should find a sheltered site for them, in full sun especially in winter. Also the plant needs to be a reasonable size before planting out, something with some good ripe wood stands a better chance than a small cutting with all soft new growth.
Not sure but I dont think ripe fruit are likely ouside here.
-6 deg C is cold but with a lot of these meditereanean plants its the length of the cold that takes its toll, -6 for a couple of hours would probably do less damage than say -1 deg C continuously for a few days.