Oleander is one of the most popular potted plants. However, in order for it to retain its beautiful shape, it needs regular pruning in addition to sufficient care.
The oleander (Nerium oleander) is a Mediterranean plant that also thrives in our latitudes. In addition to the choice of location, the right care and watering behavior, regular pruning is also important.
If you follow the tips and advice below, the plants will thrive and thank you with plenty of flowers.
When is the right time to cut the oleander?
It is an advantage if the oleander is pruned before it sprouts. In general, oleander can be pruned throughout the growing season. If you use scissors after flowering, make sure not to remove the inflorescences, because this is also where the plant for flowering in the following year is located. If you don't want to risk the plant not producing flowers next year, you should pruning before flowering.
» Tip: It is less advisable to cut oleanders in autumn, as the plant then sprout and this can lead to damage in the winter quarters.
Pruning measures that can be carried out all year round include removing old and dead branches. Young plants should be pruned for the first time after two years at the latest. Annual maintenance cuts ensure he althy growth and flowering.
One cut - many possibilities
Oleander can be pruned in a number of ways. A distinction is made between the conservation cut and the radical cut.
The maintenance cut is carried out annually if possible. Then no radical pruning measures are necessary and the plant can be brought into shape in just a few simple steps. It is important to ensure that the branches are only cut down to the point at which the buds have formed. The natural appearance of the plant is preserved and the cutting measure will hardly be recognizable.
» Tip: It is not necessary to use scissors for maintenance pruning, the shoots can also be broken outbecome.
To avoid the plant becoming bare, some shoots close to the ground should also be removed. Attention should also be paid to the interior of the shrub. Broken and overhanging branches should be trimmed down to the old wood.
How to make the cut?
If the plant is to be trimmed in spring, about a third of all shoots near the ground should be trimmed. If you cut down to the old wood, the result will be long shoots. Cuts close to the flowers result in short shoots that flower quickly. In any case, be careful not to injure the buds when cutting, otherwise the oleander will not bloom this year or the following year. You can be less squeamish about old and dead branches. These can be completely removed. This prevents the plants from becoming bare.
» Tip: Wilted flowers must not be completely removed, as each inflorescence will develop new flowers. Therefore, only remove the wilted petals and not the entire inflorescence.
Withered plants are visually unappealing and should therefore be cut back completely. Then new shoots will soon develop. However, it will take two to three years for the plant to flower again after a complete pruning.
Rejuvenate older oleanders - this is how it works
If the oleander grows vigorously and is in full bloom year after year, pruning is not absolutely necessary. Sooner or later, however, the plant will react with reduced growth and the rich flowers will not appear. Older plants should therefore be rejuvenated to protect them from complete bare growth. This is necessary after three to five years at the latest. However, it is better to rejuvenate regularly.
Proceed as follows:
- remove old wood
- Shorten overhanging shoots
- Cut off laterally growing shoots
» Tip: The further you cut back, the stronger the shoots will develop.
The Radical Cut
If a radical pruning is carried out, only finger-thick shoots remain of the plant. If the plant is placed on the stick, only a few centimeters long stubs remain. The plant no longer has any leaves and all thin shoots are also completely removed.
The leftover stick can be treated with paraffin oil. Best in autumn, in winter quarters and after hibernation. There will then be strong shoots againto develop. However, it will take at least a year for the plant to return to its old form and bloom profusely.
Keeping oleanders in shape with topiary
In order for the oleander to keep its shape and size, a few steps are necessary. This procedure was developed by the International Oleander Society and can be applied to all mature oleander plants outdoors or in containers:
- record desired plant size
- Craft Template or Framework
- Remove weak, diseased and damaged shoots
- Partially remove the highest stems
- Cut back stems protruding from template to about 12 inches past desired size
- Pruning should be done immediately after flowering, and the topiary should be completed by the end of August at the latest. Expelling it again before winter will damage the plant. The result is reduced flowering in the following year.
Oleander as standard
Oleander can be transformed into a standard by appropriate pruning. If the pruning measures were carried out rather hesitantly, stable, leafless trunks are formed. You can use these trunks to grow your own high trunk.
Proceed as follows:
- Pick up oleanders
- Split root ball
- pick a straight stem
- single trunk with root system in the ground
- remove all shoots up to the height of the planned crown
- Cut the crown largely into shape
- Form crown with strings by spreading from trunk
Oleander Pruning Precautions
When pruning the oleander, it should be noted that it is a poisonous plant. Plant sap escapes when cut. This can irritate the skin and lead to allergic reactions. The oleandrin it contains leads to cardiac arrhythmias, headaches and cramps. In the worst case, cardiac paralysis can occur. If pruning measures are carried out on the oleander, gloves must always be worn. The work tools must also be disinfected.
Pruning oleander cuttings - when and how?
If you want to cut oleander cuttings, use the summer months for this. Young shoots without buds are cut. Use a sharp knife to avoid damaging the plant. The cuttings should be about 20 centimeters long. Before the cuttings are rooted, the lower leaves are closedremove.
» Tip: The shoots removed during the annual pruning are less suitable as cuttings, as they develop roots very poorly.
First Aid for Cuts
Minor cuts on the oleander aren't too bad. The plant will know how to close these independently. Cutting measures before the onset of winter, on the other hand, pose a risk. This makes the plant susceptible to diseases and pests. The sap flow can be stopped with charcoal ash. This also prevents pests from entering through the wounds. A special wound sealer should be used for larger wounds.
The right tools for the perfect cut
How the cutting measures are designed largely depends on the tools used. Therefore, only use high-quality tools with sharp blades.
The tools can be divided into different groups. A distinction is made between scissors for one-handed operation and scissors for two-handed operation.
Scissors for one-hand operation
| Advantages | Cons |
| easy handling | Effort higher |
| one hand remains free | Branches can be injured |
| good power transmission |
Scissors for two-hand operation
| Advantages | Cons |
| also suitable for thicker branches | both hands are needed for operation |
| optimal power transmission through leverage |
Both product groups are available as anvil shears and bypass shears. Anvil shears have a sharp blade that is pressed onto the wood. Bypass scissors have two sharp blades and enable a more precise cut. Furthermore, a distinction can be made between models for left- and right-handers.