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Common olive Olea europaea

Other Common Name(s):

Previously known as:

  • Olea pallida
  • Olea sativa
Phonetic Spelling
O-lee-a eu-ro-PIE-a
Description

Common olive is a slow-growing broadleaf evergreen fruit tree or shrub that has a gnarled trunk, silvery-colored leaves, and a rounded crown. It grows 20 to 30 feet tall and 15 to 25 feet wide. The leaves are grayish-green on the upper surface and silver on the undersides and are elliptical to lanceolate. Small white, fragrant flowers bloom in the summer in 2-inch-long panicles. The fruit is a green drupe that ripens to a purplish-black. The fruits can be harvested at either stage and are important commercially as edible fruit, for making olive oil, and fuel. Olive branches are a symbol of peace.

This tree is native to the Mediterranean, Africa, and China and performs best in hot/dry summers and mild/wet winters. The tree has been introduced in many parts of the world. It can form dense stands and is reported to have become invasive in Australia, New Zealand,  Hawaii, and southern California.

The origin of the genus name, Olea, is derived from the Latin word for olive. The specific epithet, europaea, means from Europe

Common olive prefers fertile well-drained soils with average moisture in full sun. They are drought tolerant once established. It can be grown outdoors in zones 8-10 or brought indoors or in a greenhouse in colder areas. It requires 2 months of temperatures in the 40-50 degree F range to flower. If you plan to harvest olives, it is recommended that you plant two different varieties for cross-pollination to increase your crop yields. They are propagated by seed or semi-ripe cutting.

The common olive may be grown as an ornamental, fruit tree, container plant, or used in bonsai. There are cultivars available that may be grown in plant hardiness zones 7a and 7b. Some cultivars have no fruit or flowers.

Seasons of Interest:

Bloom:  Summer        Foliage: Year-round in hot/dry summer and mild/wet winter climates        Fruit: Fall

Quick ID Hints:

  • 20 to a 30-foot-tall tree with a rounded crown
  • young trees have smooth gray bark, older trees are gnarled
  • 3-inch long gray-green, leathery, elliptic to lanceolate leaves
  • small white flowers that appear in 2-inch panicles
  • 1.5-inch green oval drupes that ripen to black

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: The common olive has no serious insect pests or diseases. Monitor the tree for olive knot, verticillium wilt, and root rot. Scales may be seen.

VIDEO created by Andy Pulte for “Landscape Plant Identification, Taxonomy, and Morphology” a plant identification course offered by the Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee.

 

Profile Video:
See this plant in the following landscape:
Cultivars / Varieties:
  • 'Bonita'
    produce few tiny fruits
  • 'Little Ollie"
    compact, rounded
  • 'Majestic Beauty'
    produce few fruits
  • 'Swan Hill'
    fruitless, flowerless
  • 'Wilsoni'
    fruitless,flowerless
'Bonita', 'Little Ollie", 'Majestic Beauty', 'Swan Hill', 'Wilsoni'
Tags:
#evergreen#full sun tolerant#fragrant flowers#white flowers#fruit tree#summer flowers#evergreen tree#container plant#landscape plant sleuths course
 
Cultivars / Varieties:
  • 'Bonita'
    produce few tiny fruits
  • 'Little Ollie"
    compact, rounded
  • 'Majestic Beauty'
    produce few fruits
  • 'Swan Hill'
    fruitless, flowerless
  • 'Wilsoni'
    fruitless,flowerless
'Bonita', 'Little Ollie", 'Majestic Beauty', 'Swan Hill', 'Wilsoni'
Tags:
#evergreen#full sun tolerant#fragrant flowers#white flowers#fruit tree#summer flowers#evergreen tree#container plant#landscape plant sleuths course
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Olea
    Species:
    europaea
    Family:
    Oleaceae
    Uses (Ethnobotany):
    The common olive was one of the first trees to be cultivated and dates back to 2500 B.C. The olive branch is a universal symbol of peace. It is used for medicine, fuel, and food.
    Life Cycle:
    Woody
    Recommended Propagation Strategy:
    Seed
    Stem Cutting
    Country Or Region Of Origin:
    Mediterranean, Africa, and South Central China
    Distribution:
    Native: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Botswana, China South-Central, Cyprus, Ethiopia, Greece, Iran, Italy, Kenya, Libya, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Niger, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Portugal, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Sicilia, Somalia, Spain, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, West Himalaya, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zaire, and Zimbabwe. Introduced: Argentina, Bermuda, Egypt, France, Hawaii, Iraq, Korea, Mexico, Taiwan, and Tibet
    Wildlife Value:
    Birds and small mammals spread the seeds.
    Play Value:
    Attractive Flowers
    Edible fruit
    Dimensions:
    Height: 20 ft. 0 in. - 30 ft. 0 in.
    Width: 15 ft. 0 in. - 25 ft. 0 in.
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Tree
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Broadleaf Evergreen
    Habit/Form:
    Erect
    Rounded
    Growth Rate:
    Slow
    Maintenance:
    Medium
    Texture:
    Medium
  • Cultural Conditions:
    Light:
    Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
    Soil Texture:
    Clay
    Loam (Silt)
    Sand
    Soil pH:
    Acid (<6.0)
    Alkaline (>8.0)
    Neutral (6.0-8.0)
    Soil Drainage:
    Good Drainage
    Moist
    Available Space To Plant:
    24-60 feet
    NC Region:
    Coastal
    Piedmont
    USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
    8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b
  • Fruit:
    Fruit Color:
    Black
    Green
    Purple/Lavender
    Fruit Value To Gardener:
    Edible
    Showy
    Display/Harvest Time:
    Fall
    Fruit Type:
    Drupe
    Fruit Length:
    1-3 inches
    Fruit Width:
    < 1 inch
    Fruit Description:
    The fruits are oval green drupes that measure 1.5 inches long. They turn purplish-black when ripened and are edible. Each olive contains one pit.
  • Flowers:
    Flower Color:
    White
    Flower Inflorescence:
    Panicle
    Flower Value To Gardener:
    Fragrant
    Showy
    Flower Bloom Time:
    Summer
    Flower Size:
    < 1 inch
    Flower Description:
    The small white flowers bloom in the summer and appear on 2-inch-long panicles. The flowers are fragrant and appear on the stems from the leaf axils.
  • Leaves:
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Broadleaf Evergreen
    Leaf Color:
    Gray/Silver
    Green
    Leaf Feel:
    Leathery
    Leaf Type:
    Simple
    Leaf Arrangement:
    Opposite
    Leaf Shape:
    Elliptical
    Lanceolate
    Leaf Margin:
    Dentate
    Entire
    Hairs Present:
    Yes
    Leaf Length:
    1-3 inches
    Leaf Width:
    1-3 inches
    Leaf Description:
    The leaves are up to 3 inches long, opposite, elliptic to lanceolate, and grayish-green on the upper surface and silver on the undersides. The undersides have tomentose hairs.
  • Bark:
    Bark Color:
    Light Gray
    Surface/Attachment:
    Furrowed
    Smooth
    Bark Description:
    The young tree's bark is smooth and gray. As the tree ages, the bark becomes gnarled, furrowed, and twisted.
  • Stem:
    Stem Color:
    Gray/Silver
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
    Stem Description:
    The stems are gray and become contorted and gnarled with age.
  • Landscape:
    Landscape Location:
    Coastal
    Container
    Patio
    Landscape Theme:
    Edible Garden
    Rock Garden
    Design Feature:
    Flowering Tree
    Small Tree
    Resistance To Challenges:
    Drought