Q: I have seen some people cutting the lower branches off their oleanders. Is this good for the plants?
A: In general, it is good to allow plants to achieve their natural form. Oleanders are tough enough to allow pruning them into informal hedges and small trees. Pruning should begin while they are young to train them into small trees and that is what I expect you are describing.
The down side to this is that oleanders require quite a bit of maintenance to remove suckers that will grow from the base as the plants try to regain their natural form. As a hedge, oleanders look best and are healthiest when they are allowed to grow to their natural shape. Selective pruning of branches back to a point of attachment on the main stem is a good way to prune them. It is not a good idea to shear oleanders into formal hedge shapes because they require a lot of maintenance to retain that shape and because shearing in general is stressful to any plant.
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Peter L. Warren is the urban horticulture agent for the Pima County Cooperative Extension and the University of Arizona. Questions may be emailed to plwarren@ cals.arizona.edu
