Olive (Olea europaea)

Pictures

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  Appearance

  Very long-lived evergreen tree, one of the oldest plants to be cultivated as a source of oil in the Mediterranean regions. The trees growing in olive groves are pruned. The more gnarled a tree is, the greater its yield reputedly becomes. Olive trees reach great age. The oldest tree stands in Trevi, Italy, and is around 1700 years old.

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  Leaves

  Evergreen, lanceolate leaves. Green above, pale grey below. Opposite. Entire. Length: 3 to 8 cm.

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  Leaf upperside

  Evergreen, lanceolate leaves. Green above, pale grey below. Opposite. Entire. Length: 3 to 8 cm.

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  Leaf underside

  Evergreen, lanceolate leaves. Green above, pale grey below. Opposite. Entire. Length: 3 to 8 cm.

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  Flowers

  Flowering period: IV to VI. White or yellowish panicles with 10 to 40 flowers. Yellow stamen. Mild fragrance.

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  Fruits

  Black or violet-brown, bitter pome fruit. Only edible after soaking in water several times. Green when unripe. 90% of the olives are used to make olive oil.

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  Bark

  Young bark is olive coloured, later grey or silver. Fissured when older.

Application

Public areas, parks, urban areas, roadside verges, car parks, pedestrian precincts, container plants, wintergardens, private gardens, kitchen gardens, front gardens, verandas, atrium gardens

Native regions

Mediterranean regions

Location parameters

Light: full sun to sunny; soil: very dry to fresh; soil structure: normal to loose; soil depth: shallow to very deep; humus concentration: low to high, pH value: slightly acid to highly alkaline; nutrient concentration: low to high; soil: very dry to fresh.

Demands

Urban climate: resistant; does not tolerate stagnant moisture and compaction.

Hardiness

bisdown to

Growth

Height of growth: 6 to 9 m. Spread: 6 to 8 m. Broad-crowned tree, often crooked growth, with closed crown.

Leaves

Evergreen, lanceolate leaves. Green above, pale grey below. Opposite. Entire. Length: 3 to 8 cm.

Flowers

Flowering period: IV to VI. White or yellowish panicles with 10 to 40 flowers. Yellow stamen. Mild fragrance.

Fruits

Black or violet-brown, bitter pome fruit. Only edible after soaking in water several times. Green when unripe. 90% of the olives are used to make olive oil.

Bark

Young bark is olive coloured, later grey or silver. Fissured when older.

Roots

Vigorous root system reaching far down into the ground.