Olea europaea (F)

RHS Plant Profile
common olive

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common olive RHS
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common olive visionspictures.com
common olive RHS
common olive RHS

Other common names

cultivated olive, edible olive, European olive, lady's oil, olive oil plant, sweet oil plant

Shrubs Trees Fruit Edible
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Has a rugged, much-branched habit and slow growth, eventually 4.5-9m. Leaves are narrowly obovate or oval, to 7.5cm long, leathery, silvery beneath. Very small white flowers are borne in axillary racemes to 5cm long. Many cultivated varieties have been developed from this species, some of which may fruit in UK under favourable conditions.

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand

Max Height

4-8 metres

Max Spread

1.5-2.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
20–50 years
Max Spread
1.5-2.5 metres
Max Height
4-8 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Clay Loam Sand
Moisture
Well–drained
pH
Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun
Aspect
South–facing
Exposure
Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

  • H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
  • H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
  • H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
  • H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
  • H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
  • H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
  • H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
  • H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
  • H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)
H4

Colour & Scent

Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Oleaceae
Native to GB/Ireland
No
Foliage
Evergreen
Habit
Bushy
Genus
Olea are small or medium sized evergreen trees with simple, opposite leathery leaves. Flowers are in terminal or axillary panicles, and are small, whitish and followed by an ovoid, oblong or globose drupe (fruit).
Name Status
Correct
Horticultural Group

Horticultural Classification Codes

Horticultural Classification Codes are often given to genera which have a large number of species or cultivars. They are used to categorise cultivated plants based on specific, shared characteristics such as shape, colour, size or flowering time, and can be displayed as letters or numbers

For example:
Dahlia ‘Sunset Kate (Sin) = Single flower
Rosa ‘Marigold’ (HT) = Hybrid Tea

Produces olives
Plant Range
Mediterranean

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in deep, fertile, sharply-drained soil in full sun. Under glass, grow in peat-free John Innes No 3 with added sharp sand, in full light. See olive cultivation

Propagation

Propagate by seed in spring at a temperature of 13-15°C (55-59°F). Can also be propagated by semi-ripe cuttings in summer

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • Coastal
  • Gravel garden
  • Patio and container plants
  • Mediterranean climate plants
  • City and courtyard gardens
  • Sub-tropical
  • Edible fruit

Pruning

Pruning group 1. Under glass prune to restrict size in spring

Pests

scale insect may be a problem

Diseases

High Risk Host for Xylella fastidiosa. May be susceptible to honey fungus (rarely). May be susceptible to Olive scab