The oleander, originally native to the floodplains around the Mediterranean, is a popular potted plant for terraces and balconies. The shrub blooms extremely profusely and for a long time: the mostly white, red, pink or yellow flowers can be admired from June to September.
Do you have to cut off old inflorescences from oleander?
Should oleander old inflorescences be cut off? No, it is not recommended to cut off spent inflorescences from oleander, as there are already new flower buds at the top of the old flowers. Only the seed capsules should be removed to save the plant's strength.
Do not cut off spent inflorescences
With many flowering bushes, dead flowers should be removed in order to stimulate the plant to produce new flowers again and again. Not so with oleander: Since the tips of the old flowers already have the base for new ones, removing dead shoots would also mean cutting off the new flowers. It is therefore better to leave what has faded on the bush; In addition, dried flowers fall off on their own after a while. Only the seed capsules, which are reminiscent of beans, should be removed, as their formation takes a lot of energy from the plant.
Tip
Check your oleander regularly for signs of infection, such as Pseudomonas or Ascochyta; These prefer to attack dead shoots. In the event of illness, affected parts of the plant should be cut back.