Oliander bushes

[maggie]

We have some Oliander bushes. Some of the leaves are seragated something is feeding off them.
They are also not flowering as they should. I have tried spraying them which hasn't helped.
Any advise out there. Thanks

[karmels]

A good all round Pestiside is DIDIFOSS 55.
I use this to control most of the beasties we had in our restaurant garden, including the currly leaf thingy's on fruit trees.

[MoBry]

If you've got children or pets, you might consider getting shot of the oleanders as they're extremely poisonous. In fact, I was looking it up as we had oleander bushes in our garden before we got our dogs and it's considered to be on the most poisonous plants in the world. I was quite surprised to read that they're used occasionally in the south to commit suicide. Also dodgy to be near burning branches. Sorry to be off message a bit, it's okay if you're adults on your own, but kids and pets don't mix with this plant.

[TB10pilot]

Lantana is also very poisonous, beware of children wanting to pick the berries!

[frontalman]

We've had lots of oleander plants and lots of dogs mixed together for 8 years without any problem, grandson has played in the garden for the past 9 years without any problem, too. Most plants in the garden are poisonous to one degree or another, lantana e.g. as someone else has mentioned. If you stick to food from the supermarket and don't go around munching your garden plants you should be OK. Also try to avoid throwing yourself off the top of Girne castle as I understand that is quite dangerous too.

[kathsj]

Very little eats oleander. Keep your eye open for the Oleander Hawk Moth caterpillar. They are enormous but as they are green difficult to spot. Please don't use pesticide on them

[Ragged Robin]

I too have had Oldander in the garden for a long time and the dogs ignore it, but if you check it on Wilki you will find it frightening. I think it is mainly grazing animals, such as donkey and horses that are most at risk.

Certainly don't burn it and particularly not on a barbecue as the wood gives off toxic fumes.

[sophie]

It is so easy to become paranoid about some gardening book and the information contained therein. We have been hear 10 years and none of our dogs have paid the slightest interest in the Oleander. Lantamer has such a bad press as well. We have had locals here who will tell you that they used to pick and eat them as children without any problems. However, one did say, don't eat more than 1Kg. day though!!! Like mushrooms and toadstools, if in doubt them don't stick things in your mouth. The Oleander Hawk Moth is absolutely fabulous. We had one two years ago and it was almost 5ins long and the most amazing colour of green.