Caring for Oleanders

Question

My oleanders are a year old and, after winter and it being early spring, they are yellowish. Are they dead? I pruned them a little, was that ok? I trimmed the stem branches on all 5 oleander shrubs because I thought they looked dull but found out what I used was not pruning scissors. Will that destroy them? How long will it take them to start blooming again?

Answer 1

As long as you did not damage the branches/stems while pruning, it should be fine. Oleanders bloom on new growth. Some oleanders begin to bloom in late April and, depending on the type, will bloom off and on during the summer and on into fall. If the stems are still alive, they will regrow their leaves. I would give them a month, and if you do not see growth by then, they are most likely dead. These articles will help you as well: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/environmental/how-to-tell-if-a-plant-is-dead-and-how-to-recover-an-almost-dead-plant.htm, https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/environmental/tips-for-saving-cold-damaged-plants.htm