Oleander is an easy-care shrub or small tree known for its lush pink flowers and deep green leaves. It is one of the most poisonous, popular ornamental plants in the garden, which is why small children and animals should be kept away from it. The oleander will droop leaves if it is not cared for properly or if it is diseased. Read on to find all possible causes and solutions.
Oleander leaves drooping: The most common causes
The oleander has dark green, narrow leaves that cover its woody branches. Pay attention to the color and condition of the leaves and if you notice a problem, check the possible causes that we describe here.
Too little water leads to drooping leaves
Drooping leaves are the first sign of underwatering on most plants. The leaves become dry and limp if the oleander does not receive enough water. This happens especially in the summer months, which is why you should water it more frequently and more intensively when the temperatures are higher. Check the top layer of soil regularly and never let it feel dry.
If you water the plant regularly and on a specific schedule, you can avoid such situations.
Oleander droops leaves due to overwatering
If the oleander receives too much water, the leaves become soft and limp. You can tell if they have overwatered by checking the soil. When it becomes saturated and your oleander's leaves and stems droop, you should stop watering to avoid drowning the roots and allowing the plant to breathe. For potted plants, make sure that their containers have drainage holes so that excess water can drain away easily. When your oleander looks healthy again, resume watering, but not as frequently.
If the excess water is due to rainfall, there's not much you can do. Just wait for the rain to stop and don't water the plant until the soil is dry and it looks healthy again.
Compacted soil can also be the cause
Oleanders are considered robust and relatively easy to care for plants. However, compacted soil can hinder their prosperity. If the soil is heavily compacted, this can result in stunted growth because the young roots cannot spread to search for nutrients.
This problem most often occurs in younger plants whose root systems have not yet developed.
If the soil is difficult to work with a shovel, your oleander's roots will also have a difficult time spreading and providing nutrients to the plant. And a nutrient deficiency leads to drooping leaves and disrupts the plant's growth.
Fire blight causes drooping leaves
The yellowing and drooping leaves are a sign of infection. If you have checked the soil and can rule out drought-related symptoms, fire blight could be the causedrooping leaves and lack of flowering on your plant.
It is a bacterial infection caused by Xylella fastidiosa. It begins with a blockage of water and nutrient supply to the roots. The symptoms of fire blight initially appear on one or more branches in the form of yellowed and drooping leaves, the edges of which soon turn brown and the leaves appear burned.
Unfortunately, the affected plants cannot be cured, but pruning the affected areas can slow down the disease and prevent it from spreading to neighboring plants. Be sure to keep your cutting tools clean and disinfected to avoid spreading the bacteria. Dispose of the affected parts with household waste and never put them in the compost.
The plant was placed outdoors too early
If you bring your potted oleander outdoors too early and the last danger of frost has not yet passed, the plant may not be able to withstand the low night temperaturesultimately freezes to death.
Dark green, drooping leaves are signs that the plant has been exposed to very cold weather. Light frost should not harm the plant unless the new shoots have already appeared.
Cut back the dead stems so that the plant can sprout new shoots.
Heavy flowers and stems
If the leaves are green and look healthy, the oleander may be going limp just because of the weight of the stems. As the stems grow longer and fill with leaves and flowers, they become heavy and appear to droop. If you notice drooping leaves right after rain, this is often the reason.
But this problem is very easy to fix. Enjoy the flowers and then cut them back.Trim your plantafter flowering in the fall to give it a clean and healthy look for next spring.
