How to Breed Oleander: When and How to Do It Step by Step

Oleanders can be propagated by seeds or cuttings

While it is true that oleander is a poisonous plant, its bushy characteristics and beautiful flowers have made it a very popular plant in gardens. As it grows rapidly and reaches a considerable height, it is widely used as a hedge. It is therefore not surprising that many people want to learn how to breed oleander.

In this article, we’ll explain when and how to do it, and discuss how long it takes for them to grow. It’s a very simple process that, having one of these vegetables at home, we can do in an instant.

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How and when to plant oleanders?

Oleanders are widely used as a hedge

Before explaining how to reproduce oleanders, we must first know when to do it. The best time of year to plant these beautiful flowers is between October and April, that is: From autumn to spring. However, it is best to wait until April, as this usually yields better results.

Some people even advise planting the youngest oleanders in August or September when the blooming season is over. And this why? It turns out that when we plant oleander in the spring, we do it in the flowering stage. As a result, it is shortened in its first year of life. It should be noted that the best place this plant in a location with plenty of direct sunlight so that it can grow and develop properly.

To learn how to reproduce oleander, it is important to keep in mind that it can be done in two ways: By seeds or by cuttings. Both are fairly simple, but propagation by cuttings is the most commonly used method for this vegetable. We will discuss both processes step by step.

How to propagate oleander from seed

Let’s start by telling you how to reproduce oleander with seeds. It is important to mention that if the seeds come from a hybrid plant, there is a good chance that the color of the flowers and the new plants will be identical to the parent plant. However, these new seedlings are unlikely to develop certain characteristics from one of the hybrid vegetables. For him the color of the flowers may be different from what we expect.

In general, the seeds of oleanders are collected in winter, more precisely when the pods which preserve them have already matured. As for sowing, the best time of year to do it is in the spring. However, we can sow the seeds immediately after harvesting them. Let’s see how to plant oleander step by step:

  1. Prepare the substrate: First, it’s time to prepare a substrate mixture based on sand and peat.
  2. Sow: The seeds are covered with the substrate that we mixed in the first step. It is important to keep them at a temperature between 20 and 25 degrees. After about 15 days, they will have germinated.
  3. Transplant: When the first seedlings have already begun to grow, it’s time to transplant them to their final location. We will see that they will be ready when they already have four or five leaves. The hole we dig in the ground must be twice as wide as the seedling and when introducing it we must be very careful not to damage the roots. Then you need to fill the hole with more soil and press down lightly to make it compact.
  4. Water: It is important to keep the soil moist, but not flooded so that the roots do not rot.

If you wish to plant several oleanders, it is essential to leave Between two and four meters of separation between each. Otherwise, they could starve themselves of water and nutrients, which would negatively affect all plants.

How to take a cutting from an oleander?

As we have already mentioned above, reproduction by cuttings is the form most used in oleanders, and in other plants. It is a very simple method that we can carry out if we already have one of these vegetables in good condition. Generally, the cuttings are prepared in the fall and replanted in the spring. Let’s see how to do it step by step:

  1. Prepare the substrate: The first thing we need to do is create a mixture of equal parts peat and sand. We will add some perlite to it.
  2. Prepare the cutout: When we have the substrate ready, we must cut a branch, or several, with a length of about 15 centimeters. We will remove all the leaves that are at the base. At the top you need to leave a maximum of four leaves.
  3. Bury the cuttings: Once we have the cuttings, we must bury them in a pot filled with substrate as we did in the first step. Oleanders can take a long time to take root, so it will be necessary to wait a few months before carrying out the final transplant. During this period, the ideal temperature for cuttings is between 15 and 20 degrees. In addition, we must keep the substrate moist, but without flooding.
  4. Transplant: As soon as the cuttings are well rooted, it is time to transplant them to the final location. There we will dig a hole twice as wide as the seedling and introduce it there. It is very important not to bury it too deeply, the stem should never stay underground. During this process we must be very careful and try to avoid damaging the roots. Next, it’s time to fill the hole with more soil.
  5. Water: Finally, it remains to water the oleanders. The soil should be compact and moist, but always prevent it from becoming waterlogged.

How long does it take to grow oleanders?

Oleanders grow very quickly

The growth of oleanders is quite fast. In a few years, it is easily able to exceed two meters in height. If it is true that species having exceeded five meters have been seen, it is unusual, since the maintenance and the size that this plant requires do not allow it.

Related article:

How to Prune an Oleander

Remember that oleander is a poisonous shrub, so it is not recommended to grow it if we have young children or pets at home. But if this is not your case or you master it, go for it! You no longer have an excuse not to reproduce your oleander.

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