Olea europaea

Olea europaea, more commonly known as the olive tree, is an evergreen tree or shrub native to the Mediterranean, Asia, and Africa.  Rather short in stature, olive trees rarely grow taller than 26-49 ft / 8-15 m, though they instead grow wide, providing a substantial shady canopy.  Olive trees produce thin, elliptical leaves that resemble blades of grass in verdant greens, but are also thick and leathery.  Petite, white, feathery flowers grow in clusters along the tree's year-old branches, spreading the blooms amongst the outskirts of the canopy.  Replacing the blooms are the fleshy edible drupes, "olives".  These fruits are typically green in color and contain one large seed in their center.  Olives may turn from green to black if they remain on the tree for an extended period of time and continue to ripen, but most commercially available black olives are not produced this way.  Instead, a portion of green olive harvests are treated with harmful chemicals such as lye or iron gluconate to dye them black.  

Provide olive trees with locations that receive bright, direct sunlight throughout the majority of the day and enough space for their sizeable canopies to grow into.  Rocky or gravelly soils are ideal for growing olive trees as they demand extremely well-draining mediums to maintain healthy root systems.  Olive trees are very drought tolerant, but still need to be watered supplementally while becoming established and during periods of particularly hot weather.  Most olive tree varieties are able to handle a wide range of temperatures, from sweltering heat to mild frosts, even surviving temperatures of 18°F / -8°C for a brief time.  Perform the majority of the pruning in spring or summer, as the olive trees handle it best while their growth is rapid.  Apply a high-nitrogen fertilizer annually in the spring to encourage vigorous new growth in younger plants, but not after they have matured.  Learn more in the Plant Story community!

3-6 hours of sun per day, with protection from intense mid-day sun

Water moderately, allowing the top 3cm to dry out between watering.

Olea Europaea

Olea europaea

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