North of the Alps, a frost-sensitive oleander thrives as a pot plant to transform balconies and terraces into a picturesque sea of flowers. The combination of plenty of sun, water and nutrients alone does not guarantee a long-lasting flowering period and a dense foliage. The Mediterranean flower fairy tale is also closely related to proper pruning care. This tutorial explains in a practical and comprehensible manner when and how to properly cut Nerium oleander.
When and how should you prune an oleander?
Pruning oleander correctly includes planting, building, shaping and maintenance pruning, care pruning and rejuvenation pruning. Regular pruning promotes dense growth, abundant flowering and branching. Choose the right cut and timing for optimal results.
Oleander benefits from these types of cuts
Oleander doesn't hold any pruning measures against his gardener. On the contrary, the Mediterranean ornamental tree reacts positively to expert pruning care. The key to success is the right combination of cutting type and timing. The following table lists the most promising types of cuts with dates:
| Cut style | Target | Appointment option I | Appointment option II |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plant cutting | dense branching at the base of the bush | first stage after planting | second stage a year later in March/April |
| Build-up cut | build a stable framework | before clearing away in the third and fourth year | in March/April of the third and fourth year |
| Shaping and maintenance pruning | even growth, lush flowers, dense foliage | in the fall before putting away | in March or shortly before clearing out |
| care cut | Extend flowering time, maintain shape | if needed during the growing season | none |
| Rejuvenation cut | revitalize over-aged, bare oleander | in spring when budding begins | none |
| Education cut high stem | Building a young plant into a standard tree | after planting | before putting away |
Pruning in stages encourages dense branching
Don't let the cheap, bushy oleander plants from discounters tempt you into buying them. These come from loveless mass production. Here, ten or more cuttings are crammed into a small pot to simulate dense, bushy growth. The end result is confusing, predominantly herbaceous plants that make pruning difficult or even impossible.
The most valuable oleanders are grown from a cutting and have first, short side shoots. A courageous planting cut aims at the formation of a number of new shoots at the base of the plant, which form a stable shoot structure. As the images below illustrate, the perfect planting cut takes place in two stages:
- After planting, cut off the central shoot above the third leaf rosette from the bottom
- Allow unhindered growth in the following 12 months
- A year later in March/April, shorten the branches in the upper half of the plant above the third rosette of leaves
- Cut off the shoots in the lower half of the plant above the fourth leaf rosette
The planting cut was a complete success if an oleander has developed a well-woody and richly branched base at the beginning of its third year. Parallel to the growth in height and width, the shrub will not become bare from below in the future because new shoots will continually sprout from the rootstock.
Immediately after planting, shorten the central shoot above the third rosette of leaves. The elimination of the tip bud promotes branching at the base of the bush.
At the beginning of the second year, cut off the upper branches above the third and the lower branches above the fourth leaf rosette.
Background
Pruning follows the law of top funding
Accurate prediction of response to planting pruning is based on one of the three laws of growth that every home gardener should be familiar with. The law of peak promotion is based on the fact that on each plant the bud with the highest position sprouts the most. Because the vegetation point is closest to the light, the sap pressure at this point is disproportionately stronger than at all other nodes. If the top bud is removed during planting pruning, the growth forces are distributed to deeper buds. The result is a permanent strengthening of growth at the plant base.
Oleander benefits from a stable base structure - tips for pruning
A professional plant cut also results in the growth of fresh shoots from the root ball. By using this process wisely for further development, you will direct the young oleander into the perfect shrub shape. Therefore, to complement the central shoot, choose the seven to ten most promising ground shoots as a framework. Shorten all other shoots from the root ball at ground level.
Instructions for shape and maintenance pruning
For an oleander north of the Alps, the wintering period begins in mid to late November. In conjunction with tidying up, pruning is part of the care program if there is a lack of space in the winter quarters. The better time to prune is in the spring, just before new growth begins. Unless you have to complain about space problems for overwintering, only subject your oleander to shape and maintenance pruning later. With this cut you will do it right:
- Cleaning up wilted flowers
- Cut out dead, criss-crossing or inward-growing branches
- Cut back branches that are too long until just above the next bud or a he althy leaf rosette
- Arching overhanging shoots lead to a young side branch
- Remove branches that are close to the ground and hanging over the edge of the container
- From the sixth year, cut off 2 to 3 of the oldest ground shoots at the base
When pruning, please note that an oleander blooms in early summer on the buds that it created the previous year. Its blooms in midsummer arise from the buds on this year's shoots. A moderate pruning approach should spare the overwintered buds. A ground shoot remains vital and blooming for 5 to 8 years. The continuous rejuvenation by thinning out the oldest ground shoots therefore begins in the sixth year at the earliest.
Cut off any dead flowers before putting them away. Branches that are too long lead you to a young, unbranched side shoot. Thin out the oldest ground shoots to promote fresh shoots.
Excursus
Use ground shoots for propagation
During the annual thinning cut, do not cut off all the shoots near the ground. These are natural lowering agents with which oleander reproduces in its native regions. You use a soil shoot for breeding by placing a pot filled with potting soil next to the oleander pot. Place the shoot on the substrate and lightly scratch the bark at the point of contact. Weigh down the lowering tool with a stone to improve contact with the ground. The mother plant continues to provide the shoot with nutrients as it develops its own root system. The two plants are separated when the offspring has largely rooted through its cultivation pot.
Summer care pruning promotes a long flowering period
Continually cut off faded flowers throughout the summer. Shoots that have completely blossomed should be shortened by a third. Position the scissors specifically at a short distance from a bud or leaf whorl. With a care cut you contribute significantly to a never-ending flowering period. Regular cleaning and moderate pruning prevents the oleander from the strenuous process of seed and fruit formation. Instead, the plant focuses on producing new buds and flowers until fall.
Rejuvenation treatment with secateurs – this is how it works
Old, rarely cut oleanders are often bare. The trees only have leaves at the ends of the branches, so that they are reminiscent of a skeleton. It doesn't have to come to this if you take countermeasures in good time through a rejuvenation treatment. The most radical of all types of cuts aims at revitalization and paves the way to a new construction. Since oleanders have the ability to sprout freshly from old wood, there are good chances of success. This is how the rejuvenation cut works:
- The best time is in spring, as soon as budding begins
- At the beginning, thin out all dead branches
- Then cut back the remaining shoots to 10 to 30 centimeters
- Ideally cut a few millimeters above a leaf rosette or sleeping eyes
Following the rejuvenation cut, your oleander will be grateful if you repot it promptly. The change to fresh substrate awakens the floral spirit, which promotes sprouting from the old wood of the rootstock. In the following two to three weeks, the plant is allowed to recover from the strain in a partially shaded, warm location. Only after regeneration should the rejuvenated oleander be cleared out, if the weather conditions allow it. Please note that a radical rejuvenation cut will result in the loss of this year's flowers.
Background
Draining is better than rejuvenating
A radical rejuvenation cut puts your oleander to a tough test. It's tricky putting a native shrub on the tree. If you use this measure on ornamental trees from distant countries, renewed sprouting is questionable. As long as your rose laurel has one or two young side shoots, you should instead carry out rejuvenation using a derivation cut. For this purpose, shorten aged and overly long branches to an unbranched, young side branch in the lower shoot region. Place scissors or saws exactly where old and young meet. The young wood takes the lead, benefits from the increased sap pressure and sprouts vigorously.
Training oleanders into standard trees – this is how it works
As a standard tree, oleander is a feast for the eyes and much in demand. Fully trained plants are expensive because the construction work is very time-consuming. Reason enough for the enthusiastic hobby gardener to take on the challenging project themselves. The best starting point is a young oleander with a strong central shoot. This is how the upbringing of the high tribe is exemplary:
- Cut off all side branches from the central shoot
- Place the support rod with the length of the desired stem height into the ground next to the central shoot
- Fix the center drive to the support rod with hose ties (€6.00 at Amazon)
- Step by step the central shoot on the support rod
- Continuously cut off all side shoots to promote height and thickness growth
If the tip bud is three to four leaves above the desired crown height, the shoot tip is cut. In accordance with the growth law of top promotion, this cut initiates the branching towards the crown. Select the strongest side shoots as crown shoots and shorten them to three leaf whorls. As a result, a spherical, flower-rich oleander crown forms.
Frequently asked questions
Is oleander poisonous?
The highly toxic cardiac glycoside oleandrin significantly limits the enjoyment of opulent oleander. Even a small amount of 15 to 20 grams of fresh oleander leaves is enough for an adult to cause acute symptoms of poisoning, such as cramps, nausea and severe vomiting. Cardiac arrhythmias often occur, which can be fatal without medical intervention. A tiny dose of oleandrin is life-threatening to children and pets. Only include an oleander in the design plan if children and animals cannot access the plant. For all care and cutting work, please protect yourself with suitable clothing, gloves and safety glasses.
In its winter quarters, oleander is a victim of scale insects, which sit in hordes on the leaves. What can I do?
If you have a severe scale insect infestation, your oleander is counted. As an immediate measure, shower the plant with as strong a jet of water as possible. Cut off the shoots that are still most severely affected. Branches that are less heavily populated with scale insects should be left standing so that the next flowering period is not completely canceled. Fight the rabble with a solution of 1-2 tablespoons of pure soft soap per 1 liter of lime-free water and 1-2 splashes of spirit. It is helpful to regularly wipe off the pests with a cloth soaked in alcohol.
Where to put oleander cuttings?
All parts of the oleander plant contain highly toxic oleandrin, which is fatal to humans and animals even in small quantities. The clippings therefore have no place in the compost heap. Put cut branches, plucked leaves and wilted flowers in the organic waste bin. If there is a lot of clippings due to a rejuvenation cut, put it in a sturdy bag and hand it in at the nearest waste disposal facility. Please do not bury the remains so that moles or other underground garden inhabitants do not fall victim to the toxin.
The 3 most common cutting mistakes
If an oleander only vaguely resembles a wasteful flowering bush, the cause is usually to be found in incorrect pruning care. If you can rule out location deficiencies, pest infestation and diseases, please consult the following table with the 3 most common cutting errors, typical damage patterns and tips for prevention or correction:
| Cutting errors | malicious image | Prevention/Correction |
|---|---|---|
| no plant cutting | bare shrub base | cut back after planting and the following year |
| never photographed | premature baldness to a leafless skeleton | Thin out dead wood and crosswise branches once a year |
| withered flowers not cleaned out | short flowering period and growth of poisonous fruits | continuously shorten dead shoots |
Oleander schneiden
Tip
Oleander's good-natured pruning tolerance extends to the roots. If you repot the flowering bush in spring, you can use the previous pot again. A root cut ensures that the capacity is sufficient for another year. To do this, reduce the size of the root ball on the sides and bottom with a sharp knife. Please only resort to root pruning if you do not want any further growth in height or width for your oleander.
