Oleander – Pruning

Q: My six foot oleander was frost bitten this year. It has been growing near the wall outside our bedroom window for the last three years and has not been damaged by cold in the past. Should I cut it down or can it be saved by pruning?

A: This is a “wait and see” situation. Oleanders vary in their cold tolerance, depending on their location in the garden and on the weather that occurred before the cold snap. There are also oleander varieties that are physically cold-tolerant. ‘Mathilde Ferrier’ is an example. Wait until late April to see if damaged limbs re-sprout. My bet is that you’ll have lots less damage than you expect now.

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