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What has happened to my Oleander?

christian.mortonchristian.morton Posts: 22
in Plants
Correct me if I am wrong on the identification, I used a plant app that said this was Oleander (Nerium oleander).

I had a healthy bush in summer that I took good care of and watered during the dry spell. It was look great and I was even starting to see new offshoots in the flower bed nearby. Fast forward to now and the entire plant is brown, wilted and the branches feel spongy/soggy.

Has this perished completely? If so, what happened to it?

Before:



Now:






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Posts

  • christian.mortonchristian.morton Posts: 22


    As you can see it’s just the whole bush…all the neighbouring plants seem fine.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I don't know if it's an Oleander or not, but they [there are various types as far as I know] aren't fully hardy in the UK, so if you're in the UK and it is Oleander, it's not survived the weather over winter. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445
    Have you got a close up of the before pic? I think this might be Euphorbia mellifera or a hybrid of that. It looks as mine does, it's not fully hardy in most parts of the UK. If you're lucky cutting it back in Spring will make way for new growth. I'm going to try that on one of mine and dump the other 2


    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • christian.mortonchristian.morton Posts: 22
    edited February 2023
    This is a close up of the leaves during summer…


  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445
    Thanks @christian.morton. That's a Euphorbia, probably mellifera


    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • christian.mortonchristian.morton Posts: 22
    nutcutlet said:
    Thanks @christian.morton. That's a Euphorbia, probably mellifera
    Thanks. Will have to cut it back and cross my fingers it has survived. I’m not having much luck in my garden. I’ve had to rip out lots of box plants because of the box caterpillar, have had two large bushes die on me and have a problem with a section of hedge. It’s starting to look very bleak!
  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445
    Don't be disheartened, there are always bad years. That border looks pretty crowded and if you chop down the Euphorbia and it doesn't survive the next along will spread their wings


    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • NollieNollie Posts: 7,529
    My E. Mellifera does spring back regularly from winter wilt and blackened leaves. I must admit it’s never looked as bad as yours.  It must have had a very sharp temperature drop that’s given it a big shock.

    I cut right back as soon as I see any signs of new growth from the base, but not before as the dead stuff will protect the crown from late frosts. It grows pretty quickly so you won’t have a bare spot for long.

    Be careful when cutting back not to get any of the oozing sticky white sap on your skin as it’s highly irritant. Wear gloves and have a bin bag at the ready to slide the stems into.
    Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
  • bédébédé Posts: 3,095
    Agree with Euphorbia, wouldn't guess which spcies.  

    Oleanders are hardier than you would think.  I split my two in pots between:   cold greenhouse (down to -5ºC for lomg periods this winter), and quite bright garage at steadyish 15ºC.  Both are doing well.

    The garage one is a 3-year cutting in a 25cm clay pot.  The greenhouse one is an old plant in a 40cm pot that hasn;t been changed for several years.  The latter plant is expendable.
     location: Surrey Hills, England, ex-woodland acidic sand.
    "Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    That's grand that you've had an ID @christian.morton - I should have thought of asking you for a close up !
    Not a Euphorbia I've grown, but I'd go with the advice given by @nutcutlet and @Nollie as they're both very knowledgeable, and most Euphorbias are pretty tough. Big swings of temperature are often the problem, and I think that's happened to lots of plants over the last few months. Privet, for example, has looked terrible here this winter, because the autumn was so mild there was lots of soft growth, which then got a hefty freeze. Normally it would be gradually colder from September onwards, and frosty regularly, and that wouldn't happen as the plants adjust. 

    As @nutcutlet says - don't get too disheartened, as these things happen. Box is certainly problematic re the caterpillar/moth nowadays, if you live in the south particularly. Not a problem here, although blight sometimes gets reported. Worst case scenario is that you have to replace with something that gives the same effect, but is much more pest resistant. I know many people have mentioned Euonymous recently, a variety called Green Pillar has been especially popular. There are various plants which will work, depending on how you were using the box. 
    What are the other shrubs and hedging that you're having trouble with? Perhaps people here can help with those  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
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