Olive Tree

An ancient Mediterranean evergreen that can live for centuries, producing oil-rich fruits in hot, dry climates. Olive trees are extremely drought-tolerant once established and thrive in poor, rocky soil with excellent drainage. In cooler climates, grow in large containers and bring indoors during winter, or choose cold-hardy cultivars that can withstand brief freezes. Harvest green olives in autumn for brining or let them ripen to black on the tree for pressing into oil, though home curing requires patience.

Olive trees are best propagated from semi-hardwood cuttings or purchased as grafted container-grown plants from nurseries. Seed-grown olives take 8 to 12 years to bear fruit and may not produce quality fruit. For cuttings, take 6-inch semi-hardwood stems in late summer, dip in rooting hormone, and root in a well-drained propagation mix under mist. Container-grown nursery trees can be planted anytime during the growing season in warm climates.

The Season Plate

Your Olive Tree Year

Composed for Zone 7 · typical seasons · frost passes Apr 2, returns Nov 1

Sow Olive Tree Mar – May, pick Oct – Dec. Set your climate below and every date on this plate re-times itself.

Sowing window

Mar – May

re-timed to your frost dates

Plant out

after Apr 2

once frost risk has passed

First picking

around Mar 14

≈ 1825 days from sowing · 5-7 years per plant

Composed for —ColdTemperateMildWarmUse my locationUsed once to set your season · only the zone is kept

Week-by-week Olive Tree reminders watering, feeding and pruning, timed to your dates

In the app

Frost alerts for your garden a warning before a cold night costs you the crop

In the app

Succession sowing dates so the picking never gaps mid-season

In the app

Keep my dates — free for 7 daysWe nudge you as each window opens · cancel anytime

Choose the hottest, sunniest, and most sheltered spot in your garden for olive trees. They thrive in poor, rocky, well-drained soil and actually produce better-flavored oil when not over-watered or over-fertilized. In cooler climates, plant against a south-facing wall to benefit from reflected warmth. Space trees 20 to 25 feet apart for orchard planting or grow in large containers that can be moved indoors during winter.

Plant container-grown olive trees in spring after the last frost. Dig a hole twice the width of the root ball and ensure the top of the root ball sits slightly above the surrounding soil grade to prevent crown rot. Water deeply at planting, then allow the soil to dry considerably between waterings. Olives are remarkably drought-tolerant once established and over-watering is more harmful than under-watering.

Olive trees require minimal pruning compared to other fruit trees. Remove crossing branches, water sprouts, and dead wood annually in late winter. Open the center of the tree to allow light penetration for even fruit ripening. In container culture, repot every 3 to 4 years and prune roots lightly to maintain a manageable size. Protect from temperatures below 25 degrees Fahrenheit.

Lavender, rosemary, and thyme are classic Mediterranean companions for olive trees, thriving in the same dry, well-drained conditions. These aromatic herbs attract pollinators and repel certain pests. Plant drought-tolerant wildflowers beneath mature olive trees for ground cover. Avoid planting moisture-loving species near olives, as the irrigation they require can cause root problems for the olive tree.

The Society Table

Lavender belongs beside it. Walnut Tree doesn't.

Old growers' knowledge, checked against Olive Tree's real companion table below — test any plant you're growing.

Grows well in the company of · 3

LavenderRosemaryThyme

Keep apart · 1

Walnut Tree

Plant Olive Tree with good neighboursThe planner flags conflicts before they're in the ground

Olive trees prefer poor to moderately fertile, well-drained soil with a pH of 6.0 to 8.0. They thrive in rocky, limestone-based soil and tolerate alkaline conditions well. Over-fertilization reduces fruit quality and encourages excessive vegetative growth. Apply a low-nitrogen fertilizer once in early spring. Supplement with boron if fruit set is poor, as olives have a high boron requirement compared to most fruit trees.

Ideal Temperature

Hardiness Zone Compatibility

Harvest green olives in early autumn for brining and table use, or wait until they turn purple-black on the tree for oil production. Green olives are firmer and more bitter, requiring longer curing. Ripe black olives are softer with higher oil content. Hand-pick or use a small rake to comb fruit into collection nets spread beneath the tree. Handle fruit gently to minimize bruising, which can affect oil quality and accelerate fermentation in table olives.

Storage & Preservation

Fresh olives are inedibly bitter and must be cured before eating. Brine-cure green olives by soaking in a salt solution for 3 to 6 months, changing the brine periodically. Dry-cure ripe black olives by packing in coarse salt for 4 to 6 weeks. Lye curing produces milder-flavored olives more quickly. For oil production, press fruit within 24 hours of harvest for the highest quality. Finished olive oil stores for up to 2 years in dark glass bottles in a cool location.

Troubleshooting Common Problems

Alternate bearing is common, with heavy crop years followed by light ones. Thinning fruit in heavy years can moderate this cycle. In cool climates, the main challenge is winter cold damage, so choose cold-hardy varieties like Arbequina. Lack of fruit on container-grown trees indoors is usually caused by insufficient light or failure to provide adequate winter chill. Over-watering in heavy soil causes root rot, the most common killer of olive trees.

Growing Tips

1. Choose a planting site with full sun exposure — olive trees need at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight daily for proper fruit development and ripening.
2. Ensure excellent drainage by planting on a slope or amending heavy clay soil with coarse sand and gravel. Olive trees cannot tolerate waterlogged roots and are susceptible to root rot in poorly drained conditions.
3. Select a cultivar suited to your climate. For colder regions (USDA zones 7-8), consider cold-hardy varieties like Arbequina, Arbosana, or Koroneiki, which tolerate brief freezes better than most.
4. Water deeply but infrequently once established. Mature olive trees are highly drought-tolerant and perform best with deep irrigation every 2 to 4 weeks during dry periods rather than frequent shallow watering.
5. Apply fertilizer sparingly — olive trees have modest nutrient needs. A single application of balanced fertilizer (10-10-10) in early spring is sufficient for most established trees.
6. Prune annually in late winter to maintain an open vase shape that allows sunlight and air circulation into the interior canopy. Remove water sprouts, suckers from the base, and any dead or crossing branches.
7. Protect young trees from frost by wrapping trunks with burlap or frost cloth when temperatures are forecast to drop below minus 5°C. Established trees are more cold-hardy but benefit from windbreaks in exposed locations.
8. For container growing, use a large pot (at least 60 cm diameter) with drainage holes and a well-draining potting mix. Move containers indoors to a cool, bright location when winter temperatures drop below minus 5°C.
9. Monitor for olive fruit fly, the most significant pest in most regions. Hang yellow sticky traps in June to detect adult flies early, and apply kaolin clay sprays as a preventive barrier on developing fruit.
10. Harvest timing determines flavor: pick green olives in September or October for a peppery, bitter profile, or wait until November or December when fruits turn black for a milder, richer taste suitable for oil pressing.