- Botanical name: Olea europaea
- Common name: Olive tree
- Family: Oleaceae
- Plant Type: Tree, Evergreen
White
Silver
- Key features:
- Dramatic foliage
- Fruits
The olive tree, Olea europaea, is an attractive, slow-growing evergreen of Mediterranean origin. It forms a rounded head of small, silver-grey leaves and is tolerant of hot, dry conditions. Tiny creamy-white flowers appear in summer, followed by small, round green olives that ripen to black.
In the Mediterranean olive trees are cultivated widely for their fruits. In the UK they’re not fully hardy and require a warm, sheltered spot to thrive. Alternatively grow olive trees in large pots and move them into the shelter of a cool greenhouse over the winter months.
How to grow olive trees
-
Plant size
10m height
10m spread
-
Aspect
South facing, west facing
-
Position in border
Middle, back
- Sun exposure: Full sun
- Hardiness: Half hardy
- Soil type: Well drained / light / sandy
- Plant care: Needs regular watering in pots
Plant calendar
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plant | ||||||||||||
| Plant |
J
Do not Plant in January |
F
Do not Plant in February |
M
Do not Plant in March |
A
Do not Plant in April |
M
Do Plant in May |
J
Do Plant in June |
J
Do Plant in July |
A
Do Plant in August |
S
Do Plant in September |
O
Do not Plant in October |
N
Do not Plant in November |
D
Do not Plant in December |
| Flowers | ||||||||||||
| Flowers |
J
Plant does not flower in January |
F
Plant does not flower in February |
M
Plant does not flower in March |
A
Plant does not flower in April |
M
Plant does flower in May |
J
Plant does flower in June |
J
Plant does not flower in July |
A
Plant does not flower in August |
S
Plant does not flower in September |
O
Plant does not flower in October |
N
Plant does not flower in November |
D
Plant does not flower in December |
| Fruits | ||||||||||||
| Fruits |
J
Plant does not fruit in January |
F
Plant does not fruit in February |
M
Plant does not fruit in March |
A
Plant does not fruit in April |
M
Plant does not fruit in May |
J
Plant does not fruit in June |
J
Plant does fruit in July |
A
Plant does fruit in August |
S
Plant does fruit in September |
O
Plant does not fruit in October |
N
Plant does not fruit in November |
D
Plant does not fruit in December |
Olea europaea and wildlife
Olea europaea has no particular known value to wildlife in the UK.
Is Olea europaea poisonous?
Olea europaea has no toxic effects reported.
No reported toxicity to Birds
No reported toxicity to Cats
No reported toxicity to Dogs
No reported toxicity to Horses
No reported toxicity to Livestock
No reported toxicity to People
Plants that go well with Olea europaea
