Unfortunately, the oleander is not only beautiful to look at, but also quite susceptible to lice infestation. Not only do the ubiquitous aphids like the Mediterranean ornamental shrub, but also the mealybugs and scale insects that are often found on potted plants. You can read in this article how to identify and ultimately combat the various plant lice.
Aphids on the oleander can usually be combated successfully; with scale insects this is more difficult
aphids
Aphids are not particularly choosy when it comes to food choices; they take what they can get. The small, black, green or yellow animals, depending on the species, colonize almost every leafy plant, including the oleander, of course. The yellow aphids in particular feel very comfortable here. The harmful insects can be found on all soft parts of plants, i. H. especially on the fresh shoots and inflorescences. Since the older leaves of the oleander are quite hard, they cannot be pierced by the proboscis of the little creatures. Aphids themselves do not cause too much damage, their sticky-sweet excretions are particularly harmful. The so-called honeydew serves as a food source for both ants and various fungi (especially the sooty mold fungus). But by the time you can identify an aphid infestation thanks to migratory ant colonies and black leaf coverings, the pesky little beasts have already multiplied diligently. It is therefore important to regularly check the oleander for aphid infestation.
What you can do
Fortunately, aphids are fairly easy to combat. First of all, shower your infested oleander with a powerful jet of water, which will effectively drive away the little animals. However, make sure that the shrub can then dry well and quickly - otherwise there will be a fungal infection afterwards. A spray treatment with home-made nettle manure is also very effective against aphids. This also offers the advantage of strengthening the plant's own defences. If none of this helps, you can find very effective anti-aphid agents in specialist shops.
scale insects
Scale insects also very often settle on oleanders and, like aphids, are after the nutritious plant sap. There are different types, but they all have the protective shield in common. This can be white, brown or hunchbacked and black-brown. Because of their protective shield, scale insects are much more difficult to combat than aphids, but they can also be effectively killed off with simple means. You will find the animals mainly on the undersides of the leaves and on the older shoots.
What you can do
Simple preparations such as soft soap (44.90€) or rapeseed oil have proven particularly effective against scale insects. Both agents ensure that the animals suffocate and are thus rendered harmless. Spray the affected areas with a mixture of water, a dash of washing-up liquid (or just some soft soap) and a dash of rapeseed oil.
Mealybug
Mealybugs are rarely found on oleander plants, but are mentioned here for the sake of completeness. You can recognize a mealybug infestation by the cotton-like, white coating that appears primarily on the leaves and soft shoots.
What you can do
Mealybugs are controlled in the same way as scale insects, although products based on neem oil are also very effective here.
tips
In the case of a severe scale or mealybug infestation, it is advisable to cut back the oleander. The plant then offers less surface to attack and you are already rid of a large part of the annoying little animals that are difficult to remove.