Hi everybody:
I planted an oleander bush near my house last summer. It did well but the winter has browned up all the leaves. I know it's not dead because I can see growth at the very bottom and stems are green. What do I do now since it blooms on old wood? Just take the brown brittle leaves off and hope new ones will replace them?
Thanks,
Carole
Arlington, TX
brown oleander
I have no experience with oleanders but I think you are right. The correct thing to do will be to let it leaf out. I have had Hibiscus and Brugs do the same thing and then bud back out. I have heard most oleanders are cold sensitive and may be a difficult plant to grow in your area. Perhaps someone with more knowledge will weigh in here. Good luck.
I have neighbors that have them and so I planted a small one a while back. The first winter it turned brown but then bounced back. This last winter didn't effect it. Maybe they just have to establish a good root sytem. I think I will cover it when we get anything in the mid 20s for another winter or two though.
Thanks for your comments. Are alot of you out there getting flooded like DFW area is?
Not here ~ I am on the southeastern edge and only 1/4 inch of rain by dark. Doesn't look like we will get enough to wash the pollen off.
We got heavy rains all day, but no flooding at the house. I live in SW FW. Hope you are spared the excessive rain.
Hello Carole!
I had the same thing happen to one of my oleanders. Half of it turned brown, but the other half remained green and healthy. I trimmed all the branches with brown leaves off and it looks really goofy, now, but it is starting to fill out and put on new growth. It had me worried there for a while because I had read on DG about a fatal oleander disease that had made it's way to Texas.
We had over 5" of rain yesterday and last night. That's what we call a "turd floater".
I have two in large pots,and they have survived for 7 years,they have turned brown,but came back,albeit leggy.Last year I cut one back to the ground,it looked so bad,and now it's growing out fine. I need to cut the other one,can't remember when I cut it back.I guess I will this next week or so.They are pretty tough,the dogs have knocked them over,and they have had invasions of ants,but they are still growing.... so I'm not an expert,but I can keep em alive.ha
The place I lived before I bought my house, I had an invasion of grasshoppers, they ate everything I put out 3 times that one summer! So I had bought these,and being poisonous,they were the only thing that survived... BTW,if you have hoppers,Nolo Bait works.It's biological type,inteferes with their repoduction cycle,and then they don't lay eggs before they die.Takes a while,but worth it if you don't like pesticides,that and the ole stomp the hopper dance I did alot.