Olea europaea
Olive tree
Common names: True olive tree
Photo: Hans Hillewaert · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Source
This description was machine-translated.
Description
The olive tree (Olea europaea) is a symbol of the Mediterranean, a long‑lived evergreen tree with silvery, shimmering foliage and a knobby trunk. Its fruits are bitter and inedible raw; they must be pickled or pressed into oil before consumption. In most DACH regions it is not winter‑hardy and is typically grown in a pot, tolerating only sunny, frost‑free summers and a protected winter location.
Care instructions
Place the olive tree outdoors in full sun from May (week 19) to October. Use a well‑draining, relatively lean potting mix. Water deeply but allow the soil to dry out between waterings; waterlogging is its greatest enemy. Overwinter in a bright, cool spot at 2 to 10 °C (e.g., a stairwell or cold winter garden) and water sparingly. Prune in spring (April, week 15) to open up the canopy and let light reach the interior.
Soil & site
Soil pH
Soil type
sandy, well-drained, lime-loving, lean, dry
Feeding
Light feeder
Months
Mar–Jun
Propagation
Methods
- Cuttings
- Layering
- From seed
- Grafting
Companion planting
Companion planting is partly traditional gardening lore. Where the reason is known, it is given.
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From the magazine
Overwintering the olive in a pot: cool, bright, almost dry
The potted olive rarely dies of frost but of wet and darkness. Why you overwinter it cool, bright and almost dry and bring it indoors only late.
Overwintering potted fruit: the roadmap by temperature and light
You overwinter potted fruit by temperature and light, not the calendar. The roadmap for fig, olive and citrus, so each plant gets the right winter quarters.