Plant Doctor Archive

Pruning Oleander

Question 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?

Answer  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.

Weekend Gardener, Issue 91, 2002, Page 20