Olive Tree
Olea europaea
Also called olive
Olive (Olea europaea) is a slow-growing evergreen tree for full sun that is drought tolerant once established. Fruit crops improve when you plant two different varieties together.
Quick facts
- Germination time
- Not yet verified
- Germination temperature
- Not yet verified
- Sowing depth
- Not yet verified
- Spacing between plants
- Not yet verified
- Days to maturity
- Not yet verified
- Sun
- Full sun
Safety for cats and dogs: not yet verified.
By SeedBattle EditorsUpdated
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01 · Overview
About olive tree
Olive (Olea europaea) is a slow-growing, broadleaf evergreen tree or shrub with silvery leaves and a rounded crown. It can grow 20 to 30 feet (610 to 914 cm) tall and 15 to 25 feet (457 to 762 cm) wide. It can be grown as an ornamental, a fruit tree, a container plant, or in bonsai.
Some cultivars, such as ‘Swan Hill’ and ‘Wilsoni’, are fruitless and flowerless, while ‘Bonita’ and ‘Majestic Beauty’ produce few fruits.
Growing details
- Start indoors
- Not yet verified
- Sow outdoors
- Not yet verified
- Water
- Low
- Containers
- Yes
- Height
- 6.1–9.1 m20–30 ft
- Spread
- 4.6–7.6 m15–25 ft
- Frost tolerance
- Not yet verified
- Soil pH
- Not yet verified
- Life cycle
- Perennial
- Hardiness zones
- USDA zones 8–10
02 · How to grow
How to grow olive tree from seed
Propagation. Olives are grown from seed or from semi-ripe stem cuttings.
Sun and cold. Give the tree full sun, meaning 6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day. The plant needs about 2 months of temperatures between 40 and 50 °F (4 and 10 °C) to flower.
Fruit. If you want a fruit crop, plant two different varieties so they can cross-pollinate and boost yields.
03 · Care
Caring for olive tree
Water. Once established, the tree is drought tolerant.
Placement. Fruiting trees planted near hardscapes can be messy.
At a glance
How olive tree compares with other seeds in Fruits & other
Worked out from the growing facts of the 35 seeds in Fruits & other on SeedBattle.
- Olive Tree
- Each of the other seeds in Fruits & other
- Their average
- HeightTaller than average
6.1–9.1 m20–30 ft
Average for Fruits & other: 3 m9½ ft, from 26 other seeds
04 · Problems
Common olive tree problems
The olive has no serious insect pests or diseases, but watch for olive knot, verticillium wilt and root rot. Scale insects may be a problem.
05 · Harvest
Harvesting olive tree
Fruit can be harvested while it is green or after it ripens to purplish-black.
Olive Tree questions
How tall does an olive tree get?
An olive tree can grow 20 to 30 feet (610 to 914 cm) tall and 15 to 25 feet (457 to 762 cm) wide.
Can I grow an olive tree in a pot?
Yes, the olive may be grown as a container plant.
How much sun does an olive tree need?
It grows in full sun, which means 6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day.
Do I need two olive trees to get fruit?
Planting two different varieties is recommended for cross-pollination to increase crop yields.
How do you start an olive tree?
Olives are propagated by seed or semi-ripe cutting.
Quick answers
More olive tree questions
Short answers taken from the growing facts on this page.
Is olive tree an annual or a perennial?
Olive tree is a perennial.
How much water does olive tree need?
Olive tree has low water needs.
Which USDA zones can olive tree grow in?
Olive tree is hardy in USDA zones 8–10.
Side by side
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