You don't have a location listed in your profile and I'm not sure what you mean by area 7. If you are referring to USDA Hardiness Zone 7: https://garden.org/nga/zipzone... Nerium oleander will not survive winters if planted in the ground in that zone; they are only hardy in zones 9 and higher.
~ I'm an old gal who still loves playing in the dirt!
~ Playing in the dirt is my therapy ... and I'm in therapy a lot!
Yes, I live in Zone 7. I have plant inside my home in a pot. do they shed leaves in off seasons. The plant is where it receives plenty of light. I water sparingly. Please help me
I AM A MASTER GARDNER..FOR SEVEN YEARS, I AM A REGISTERED CONSULTING ROSARIAN.
I know oleanders aren't supposed to grow below zone 9, Lin, but I planted one here in zone 7b. It was eated down to the ground by deer but came back the next summer. It isn't growing as quickly as it would in zone 9 but it's still alive! My area is surrounded by a gravel driveway, so it has some extra heat retention there.
@plantmanager Karen, that's amazing; I had no idea Nerium oleander would survive in zone 7! How cold does it get in winter where you are; does the cold weather last for very long? Oleander's grow in full sun here in Florida and they do get nipped by the occasional frost here in zone 9b. We have a rare freeze every few years or so too but it usually warms up quickly during the day so the ground doesn't freeze. I guess they could survive in some zone 8 and even zone 7 locations, depending on how cold it gets, whether the ground freezes and how long the cold lasts.
~ I'm an old gal who still loves playing in the dirt!
~ Playing in the dirt is my therapy ... and I'm in therapy a lot!
This winter and last winter our coldest temps have been 16. Our ground doesn't normally freeze. It warms up enough during the day to keep it from freezing. My dog's outside water had 3 solid inches of ice on it yesterday! About 5 years ago we had a -22, so I know the oleander would be a goner in that case! It surprised me too. It isn't very high yet, but it did bloom.
That's a pretty one, love the white blooms! How long did it stay at 16º, was that just the night time lows and then it warmed up during the day like it does here?
Oh my goodenss ... I can't even imagine experiencing temperatures of -22º, I had no idea it ever got that cold in N.M. Brr!
~ I'm an old gal who still loves playing in the dirt!
~ Playing in the dirt is my therapy ... and I'm in therapy a lot!
That really low temp was one of those very rare things. We had pipes freeze in our well house, but we have them well protected now in case it happens again.
It was at 16 for probably an hour or two. It warms up nicely in the daytimes to high 40's for low 50's right now. I can't wait for Spring!
I'm hoping that we don't have any more cold this winter but January and February are always our coldest months and the way the weather patterns seem to be going, we will probably have at least one more cold snap before spring arrives! It's currently 81ºF and a bit overcast here but a really pleasant day ... I'm sitting out on the screened porch with the pups, enjoying a nice breeze!
~ I'm an old gal who still loves playing in the dirt!
~ Playing in the dirt is my therapy ... and I'm in therapy a lot!
It's nice you have the warmth now, but yes, it probably will still have more cold snaps before your summer sets in. I was just looking at the Ft Myers eagle cam, and it was raining. Are you getting any rain?
We had a little sprinkle here on the east coast early this morning (before 7 a.m.) but none since ... clouds appear to be rolling in and wind is picking up though so hopefully the rain will come our way; we need it!
~ I'm an old gal who still loves playing in the dirt!
~ Playing in the dirt is my therapy ... and I'm in therapy a lot!
I find it very interesting to see views of other areas of the country and love looking at live weather cams. Our best friends of 43 years are relocating to San Diego, a city that I love and I watch a live weather cam for that area sometimes as well as one in S.C. where my youngest sister lives and one in upstate N.Y. where we've visited. I've been watching the live Eagle Cam over in Fort Myers off and on for a few years now; it's always fun to watch those glorious birds!
I've lived in the Southeast my entire life and I have very dry skin so I'd probably have to live with a head to toe coating of baby oil if I lived out west. A couple of weather cams on the beach here where I live: https://www.volusia.org/news/d... http://www.volusia.com/explore...
~ I'm an old gal who still loves playing in the dirt!
~ Playing in the dirt is my therapy ... and I'm in therapy a lot!
That's a pretty one, love the white blooms! How long did it stay at 16º, was that just the night time lows and then it warmed up during the day like it does here? 
Brr!
A couple of weather cams on the beach here where I live: 
