Oleanders are large, graceful shrubs with lush flowers and shiny, dark green foliage. There are numerous varieties with simple or double flowers, which mostly bloom white or in various shades of pink or purple. Oleander is an evergreen plant and originally comes from the Mediterranean region. The bushes can grow up to five meters high in their native habitat, but can also be cultivated as bonsai.
How do you care for an oleander bonsai?
An oleander bonsai needs a warm, sunny, wind-protected location, regular watering with stale tap water, weekly fertilization and pruning in spring. It should also be kept cool, frost-free and bright over the winter.
Oleander is very maintenance-intensive
However, if you want to grow an oleander bonsai, you should not shy away from extensive care. Even as potted plants, the plants need a lot of attention, especially with regard to water and nutrients, and are also quite demanding when it comes to their preferred location. Oleander bonsai kept in shallow bowls are even more capricious because the substrate must not dry out. In addition, as the plant is a heavy feeder, it must be fertilized regularly. But be careful: over-fertilization causes the edges of the leaves to turn brown and brown spots to form on the leaves. These discolorations will not go away!
What you need to do to make your oleander bonsai feel good
- Location: warm, sunny, sheltered from the wind. It is best to place the oleander in front of a warm wall or wall, ideally under an eaves.
- Watering: As often as necessary, the substrate must not dry out. Use stale tap water if possible.
- Fertilize: At least once a week with a good fertilizer for flowering plants (€6.00 on Amazon).
- Cutting: In early spring. However, do not remove all the older branches at once, because oleander flowers on the perennial shoots. Withered flowers are not cut off, just plucked off.
- Wintering: cool, but frost-free and as bright as possible.
Growing an oleander
You can easily grow an oleander yourself by potting cuttings or sowing seeds you have collected yourself. Older oleander bushes can also be divided and easily rejuvenated in this way. When growing bonsai, it is recommended to grow a cutting - this is much quicker than growing a plant from seeds. In addition, you know exactly what to expect with a cutting: after all, it is a clone of the mother plant. However, there can be big surprises when growing seeds.
Which styles are suitable?
Oleanders are ideal for growing as Chokkan (strictly upright), Shakan (inclined) or as triple or multiple trunks (Sankan or Kabudachi).
Tip
When cultivating oleander bonsai, it is important to pay particular attention to pests: the shrubs are very susceptible to pest infestation.
