Usually, the oleander can be propagated very easily via cuttings, you can even use clippings from the annual pruning. However, there is also the possibility of propagating oleanders using seeds you collect yourself, because the shrub also produces seed-bearing follicles in this country if the weather is right. However, you need much more patience for this type of plant propagation than with cuttings.
The seeds of the follicles can be used for propagation
Oleander forms pod-like infructescences
The flowers of the oleander are hermaphrodite, i. H. both male and female and thus able to fertilize themselves. However, pollination is usually done by animals. If you don't cut off the faded inflorescences, but leave them where they are, you can hope for follicles - provided the weather is warm and sunny. The elongated pods, about 10 or even more centimeters long, are green at first, but turn brown as they mature. Seeds are ripe as soon as the fruit burst open on its own, releasing the umbrella-tipped seeds.
Cut off oleander fruits or leave them hanging?
The formation of fruits and seeds costs the plant a lot of energy, which in turn cannot be put into growth or the formation of new flowers. In addition, the fruits will not always ripen in our latitudes, as it gets cold much too quickly in autumn. However, you can promote maturation by providing the oleander with potash fertilizer between mid and late August - this also benefits the shoots, which also mature faster. Whether you leave the pods or cut them off is entirely up to you: if you place more value on blossoms, remove the fruit buds. If, on the other hand, you want to try seed propagation, leave the follicles and hope for their maturity.
Collect and sow seeds
You can collect the seeds from the ripe, split fruits and sow them immediately on nutrient-poor growing substrate. However, to break the germination inhibition, you should soak the granules in lukewarm water for at least a day. Since the oleander is a Mediterranean plant, stratification is not necessary. However, the oleander belongs to the light germs, i. H. You don't need to cover the seeds with soil. However, keep them evenly moist and ensure high humidity and constant heat, for example in a indoor greenhouse. Germination usually occurs after about four weeks.
tips
Caution! Like all parts of the oleander, the follicles are highly poisonous!