Plant Doctor Archive

Pruning Oleander

I HAVE a large Oleander tree that I would like to prune drastically. My problem is that I understand that oleander is poisonous. I have six sheep on the property and would like to know: If I prune the tree and discard the branches in the paddock, will the sheep eat them? If I mulch the branches will the mulch poison the soil for future plants to grow in?

Oleander is definitely poisonous, so care must be taken with prunings. I would advise against putting the clippings anywhere near your sheep. It would be best to take them to a refuse station (tip), or get a garden rubbish company to get rid of them for you. As for mulching, I can't find any reference to the poison leaching into the soil, but if you're worried, it's best to err on the side of caution.

Reproduced with permission from the former Weekend Gardener magazine. The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the RNZIH.