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Olea europaea – Mature
European Olive
From: £195.00
The European olive tree is an unmistakable symbol of both the Mediterranean landscape and way of life, dating back several millennia. Olea europaea has been cultivated and grown for its fruit and oil by people as far back as the ancient Greeks and Romans, but it is nonetheless hardy enough to be suitable for British gardens.
Mature Olea europaea is a tall evergreen tree with a hard wood trunk, iconic silver-grey green leathery leaves and sweetly scented flowers. All our olives are carefully selected to meet all plant health requirements.
Plant Biography
The European Olive Tree is an unmistakable symbol of both the Mediterranean landscape and way of life, dating back several millennia. Named ‘the queen of all trees’ by the ancient Roman agricultural writer Lucius Columella, they have long represented wealth, abundance, power and peace – a wreath of its foliage was even presented to victorious ancient Greek athletes as a trophy of their success.
Widely distributed across the Mediterranean, Africa and Asia, Olea europaea is of course most well known for its fruit – the olive. In the Mediterranean, where they have been grown for over 5,000 years, around 90% of the world’s olives are produced, proving to be one of the region’s most valuable crops.
Today, there are thought to be around 865 million olive trees in the world, some of which are claimed to be at least 2000 years old and yet still produce olives!
Visit Us for More Choices
While our website showcases a selection of our exotic and hardy plants, many more unique species and sizes are available exclusively at our nursery. Discover the full extent of our diverse collection by visiting The Palm Centre.
Experience the beauty and variety of our plants in person and find the perfect addition to your garden that you won’t find online.
Help your olive tree flourish!
Regular feeding with our specialised olive fertiliser provides essential nutrients tailored to olive trees, promoting vigorous growth and vibrant foliage.
Olive trees thrive best with consistent care — apply fertiliser to keep your tree healthy, productive, and looking its best throughout the year.
Expert Tip
Care & Size Guidance
Olea europaea, the common olive tree, is a versatile and hardy addition to gardens, thriving in full sun and well-drained soil. Reaching up to 6-9 metres tall but easily maintained smaller through pruning, it’s perfect for Mediterranean-style landscapes or container planting. This drought-tolerant tree requires moderate watering, especially during establishment, and benefits from annual light pruning to maintain shape and encourage healthy growth.
Fertilise in spring to support growth and fruit production. With its silvery-green foliage and historic charm, Olea europaea adds timeless beauty to gardens.
The Tuscan form
Tuscan form of shaping olive trees reflects the traditional agricultural practices of Tuscany, where olive cultivation has been a vital part of the region’s economy and culinary heritage for centuries.
The Tuscan form involves training the olive tree to have a short, squat trunk with a wide, open crown. The lateral branches are trained to radiate outwards in a balanced manner, creating a symmetrical and open canopy. These branches are pruned and thinned regularly to maintain the desired shape. The aim is to create a well-spaced arrangement of branches that allows sunlight to penetrate the canopy, ensuring optimal light exposure and airflow throughout the tree.
By keeping the tree relatively low and spreading the branches, the Tuscan form facilitates ease of maintenance and harvesting. The resulting olive trees have a distinctive and picturesque appearance, contributing to the overall beauty of the Tuscan landscape.
What beautiful olive trees, even bearing ripe olives. Already been greatly admired, fantastic service all round!
Maureen B. –
Really pleased with our tree. Better than expected quick delivery and well packaged so no damage. Tree looks really healthy and bushy just what we wanted.
Gary –
Really pleased – helpful on the phone – tree arrived in lovely condition well packaged and quickly Thank you soo Much
Julie Meadows –
I bought one of these from you ten years ago, at Hampton Court Flower show. It was for my neighbour, who planted it in the front garden and ignored it. It has grown brilliantly, and I would recommend both the Palm Centre and an Olive Tree to anyone. If you cant afford a bigger one, just buy a little one and wait!
Tim Leunig –