Olea europaea

Olea europaea Details

Olea europaea is an Olive tree grown for its high fruit yields. It carries large fruit that can be squeezed to produce an oil with a distinct, green, fruity aroma or eaten fresh. The fruit mature to a dark purple-black colour in autumn and originate from white-cream flowers borne in summer. It carries grey-green foliage on twisted stems and on branches that are slightly drooping. This evergreen typically grows to 3 m tall and the same wide, performing best when planted in full sun on a well-drained site. It is tolerant of dry soil conditions, frost, and cool climates, but will benefit from wind protection while establishing. Olea europaea is often used for fruit production and this olive also makes for an impressive specimen tree. It is also used for screening, as a windbreak, for topiary, or for trimming into an open hedge. For an olive hedge, space the trees 75 cm to 1 m apart.