Oleander Cuttings: [Concept, Season, Rooting and Planting]

What does it mean to plant by cuttings?

Multiplication or propagation from cuttings exploits the ability of some plants so that a fragment of it can become a new fully developed plant.

The technique of planting cuttings is widely used and recommended by some horticulturists and is the favorite method of gardening enthusiasts because it is a simple and easy method to carry out.

In this planting process, it uses cuttings that can be obtained from stems, leaves, roots or buds of a mother plant.Cuttings can be tender; juveniles; semi-ripe; woody; of leaf buds; foliar and root.

What is the best time to plant oleander cuttings?

The planting of the oleander through cuttings requires environmental conditions that favor its reproduction and the best time for it is in the spring – summer.Cuttings can be prepared in the fall but will be replanted in the spring.

With modern horticultural techniques and current scientific advances, the reproduction of oleander cuttings can be carried out at any time of the year, following favorable environmental conditions.

How to get oleander cuttings to root properly?

To get oleander cuttings to root properly, a good amount of rooting hormone should be spread all over the basal edge of the cutting to be planted.

Other gardeners recommend impregnating the part of the stem where the cut was made with a lot of cinnamon to obtain good rooting.

According to experts and horticulturists, they have observed that if the oleander has conditions or if its stems encounter suitable environments, they take root without problems.

The genetic capacity of the mother oleander to produce adventitious roots will determine the care necessary for the cuttings to root well.The phytosanitary and genetic condition can also influence the quality of the rooting of the cutting.

Oleander cuttings reproduce very easily and therefore the time it will take to root depends on the type of cutting, the age of the stem, the way it was prepared and the humidity and temperature conditions.

How should we take the oleander cuttings to plant them?

The oleander is a bushy and very hard plant, so to take its cuttings you must use special, clean and disinfected garden implements appropriate for that type of tree.

Experts recommend taking a branch or cutting from an oleander plant that has no flowering stem, no dried flowers, and no seeds.

For its reproduction, the oleander needs the internodes, for which one or several cuttings of various sizes from 15 to 40 cm, containing many internodes, can be taken.

The oleander cutting can be obtained during the annual pruning and can be from young plants, or mature ones that are more than 20 or 30 years old.It is also necessary to remember that it is a very poisonous and toxic plant, so all necessary precautions must be taken when handling it.

The oleander is a shrub that reproduces easily by cutting. But it is very thick at its base and can measure up to more than 15 meters high.

How long should we leave oleander cuttings in water?

Oleander cuttings should be left in water for at least 24 hours adding a little vitamin B1 so that they reproduce more easily.Because it is a very hard and strong bush, it is left in water so that it can be well hydrated for planting.

The water where the oleander cutting was placed cannot be used for another plant or for another process because the oleander is poisonous and can leave residue that can cause serious damage.

Is it convenient to use fertilizer or compost?

It is very possible that the oleander can reproduce in any type of soil, but if it is to be planted in gardens or pots, it is recommended to give it all the conditions for its development.

Therefore, a light planting soil rich in humus and with good drainage should be used, since the roots of the oleander suffer from stagnant moisture.

Horticulturists also recommend using houseplant mulch or a mixture of heather soil, potting soil, and garden soil. The sand used for planting oleander cuttings can be the type found on river banks.

For the land or substrate of the oleander, it is recommended to avoid clay soils, and if necessary, the substrate can be amended with a multipurpose fertilizer such as 20-20-20.

Once the oleander cutting has been planted and watered abundantly for 30 seconds, the plant should be submerged in a container of water until it stops bubbling.

The oleander cutting planted in the pot should be placed in a greenhouse environment, a black plastic bag, to give it the necessary humidity conditions it requires to be activated.

How long does it usually take for an oleander cutting to come out?

Cuttings of the woody, bushy type such as oleander can take a year or more to produce a new plant.

In some cases and depending on the oleander cutting, the roots can come out quickly, but that is not usual,

Therefore, you have to have a lot of patience with the oleander, although it will compensate later with the beautiful flowers that sprout from it.

Bibliography and references

Bent Ana. (2019). Great Book of Indoor Gardening. First edition. Servilibro Editions, SA Madrid-Spain. PP 43-47.
Manual of propagation of higher plants. Autonomous Metropolitan University, First Digital Edition 2017, Coyoacán. Mexico PDF.