From my perspective as an oleander plant, timing is everything. I store my energy and prepare for new growth after my main flowering period. The ideal time to prune me is in late summer or early fall, after my vibrant blooms have begun to fade. This timing is crucial because it allows me to heal the cuts you make before the colder weather arrives, and it ensures you won't remove the flower buds I've already started forming for next season. Pruning me in late winter or early spring would sacrifice that year's floral display. I need this maintenance to remove dead or diseased wood, improve my shape, and encourage vigorous, healthy growth for the coming year.
Before you make a single cut, you must understand a critical aspect of my biology: I am toxic. Every part of me—my sap, leaves, stems, and flowers—contains cardiac glycosides. This is my natural defense mechanism against herbivores. To handle me safely, you must wear durable gloves, long sleeves, and eye protection. My sap can cause severe skin irritation and is harmful if it gets in your eyes or mouth. Never burn my clippings, as the smoke is also toxic. This protection is not just for you; it also helps prevent the spread of any pests or diseases I might be harboring from your tools to my open wounds.
Please use sharp, clean bypass pruners or loppers. Clean tools make precise cuts that I can heal quickly, reducing my stress and risk of infection. When you approach me, first remove any dead, damaged, or diseased branches. Cut these back to their point of origin or to healthy, living wood. Next, to maintain my shape and encourage bushier growth, prune the stems. Make your cuts at a 45-degree angle, approximately 1/4 inch above a leaf node or a set of leaves. This angle encourages water to run off the wound and directs my energy to the node, which will produce new growth. You can safely remove up to one-third of my overall growth in a single season without causing me undue stress.
After you have finished pruning, I will immediately begin the process of compartmentalization, sealing off the wounds to protect my internal systems. I will channel my stored energy into producing new shoots and foliage from the nodes you left behind. You may not see immediate activity, especially if it is late in the season, but I am working internally to prepare for a burst of growth when conditions are right. With the deadweight gone and my structure improved, I can now focus my resources on becoming denser, stronger, and more floriferous. Proper aftercare, such as ensuring I have adequate water (but not soggy soil), will support me immensely during this recovery phase.
