Growing Olive TreesOlea europaeaGrowing olive trees is an easy and beautiful option for those in USDA zone 8 and warmer. Olea europaea trees grow to 30 feet under favorable conditions but can be kept smaller by pruning or by planting in pots.
If you plan on growing olive trees to shade a patio, there is a way to prune them to keep most of the fruit from being produced.*
Picture of an olive tree trunk. The trunk of this particular tree is very lumpy.
Pruning Olive Trees
Picture of an olive tree growing indoors at a
botanical garden.
Olea europaea trees can be grown with one or multiple trunks. They are attractive either way so it's just a matter of personal taste. Untrained, they tend to grow into shrubs. To make an olive into an attractive tree, you need to direct its early growth.
To grow a tree with a single trunk:Begin with a young tree that only has one trunk. Rub off all sprouts that form on the trunk. Pull basal sprouts out rather than cutting them. Pulling is more likely to remove the sprout's base. You can apply a sprouting inhibitor to keep these sprouts from forming.To grow a tree with several trunks:Begin with a young tree with a few strong main stems. Remove new shoots from the base and cut back all side branches to encourage upward growth of the main stems.Rapidly growing olive trees will fill out and form interesting heads naturally. Once your tree has become established, all you will need to do is an annual thinning. As with any tree, remove all dead, broken or crossing wood. Then, thin the canopy to reveal the beautiful branch structure the first year. To maintain it in subsequent years. Continue to limb the tree up as it grows taller.
Buy Olive TreesClick Here to Buy an Arbequina Olive TreeButtonwood Tree The buttonwood tree is commonly found in tropical wetlands. It displays a sprawling growth habit. The trunks and larger branches typically arch in every direction. Flowering Crab Apple Tree There is hardly a better plant for adding drama to the landscape than the flowering crab apple tree. It transforms itself from a pink or white cloud of fragrant flowers in the spring into an artist's palette of leaves in the fall. Go from Growing Olive Trees to Plant Guides Home Page |
They are grown both as an ornament and for the savory fruit they produce. The evergreen 3 inch leaves are a dull green on top--silvery gray underneath. When the wind blows, this coloring creates a wonderful shimmering effect.Olive trees produce panicles of fragrant white flowers during the summer months. The small tubular blossoms are followed by fruit which will stain any concrete surface it falls onto.
Subscribe to Our Newsletter
Featured Plants
Buy Arapaho Crape Myrtle Trees
from: Fast Growing Trees Nursery
Pictures of Crape Myrtle Trees in Every Season
Buy Dwarf Berry Dazzle Crape Myrtles
from: Fast Growing Trees Nursery
Share Your Favorite Botanical Garden With Us!
Advertising Disclosure
I earn a commission when you buy products via the links on this site. Without these sales, it would be impossible for me to keep botanical-journeys-plant-guides.com online.Thank you very much, I appreciate your business.