Oleanders are actually just as wide as tall-growing shrubs that can grow up to five meters high in good growing conditions - of course not if they are kept in a small pot. The shrub naturally develops several trunks that become bare from below as they age. This development is usually prevented with regular rejuvenation pruning. But you can also take advantage of it by specifically training the shrub to become a standard tree.
How do I grow an oleander trunk?
To grow an oleander trunk, divide the root ball of a young plant, plant the sections in containers, remove all side shoots below the desired crown height and shape the crown by shortening and spreading the shoots.
Training an oleander bush into a standard tree – instructions
To do this, you first need a young oleander plant, the root ball of which you carefully divide into several pieces - each part should have exactly one shoot and enough roots. Plant the individual pieces of oleander in a pot with a suitable substrate and water them well. Place the pot in a bright and warm place and water the young oleander trunk regularly. But the upbringing of the high tribe is not yet over:
- Think about how tall you want your oleander tree to be.
- Cut off all side shoots and runners below the desired crown base.
- Now shape the crown by first shortening all shoots accordingly.
- The outer shoots should be shorter than the inner ones in order to obtain a beautiful crown shape.
- So that the crown becomes beautifully bushy, you can also pull the individual shoots apart using strings.
- For this purpose, attach the cords to the shoots and the trunk.
- Don't tie them too tightly, as they are meant to stay on the tree for a whole season.
- Through this measure, the shoots grow more laterally than upright.
- In the following period, pay more attention to any new side shoots or runners
- and remove them in time.
Otherwise, the home-grown oleander standard is cut just like any other oleander bush.
Take care of the oleander trunk properly
Oleander is a very high-maintenance plant that should be watered and fertilized regularly during the growing season. In the hot summer months, the oleander can be watered daily and provided with a good flowering plant fertilizer (€14.00 on Amazon) at least once a week. Young oleanders should also be repotted once a year, older specimens every five years.
Tip
Since oleander is not hardy, it must be moved to the cold, but frost-free winter quarters before the first frost.
