More FAQ’s About Olive Trees

Olive trees can produce fruit in Florida where winter temperatures often fall below 55 degrees. Small-growing cultivars such as ‘Arbequina’ start production early, usually within four years of age. Some cultivars may take 6 years or longer. ‘Arbequina’ and a few others do not require a pollinator; a lone tree will produce fruit. Most other cultivars are not self-fertile and do require a pollinator of a different cultivar. – Florida Department of Agriculture

Every now and then at My Olive Tree we get some questions about how our trees are grown or about the process of growing and harvesting olives in general. Here are a few of the ones that are most commonly asked:

Q: What do you mean when you say an olive tree can last for hundreds or thousands of years?

A: In the animal kingdom, that kind of lifespan is unheard of, with the exception of turtles and some whales, most animal life rarely reaches past 100 years. Plants are different, and among plants, the olive tree is extraordinary. While olive trees are very sensitive to cold and over watering, “dead” olive trees can regenerate themselves. This is because the root system of the olive tree is very hardy, and even after a frost that has destroyed a mature olive tree, the roots can create new shoots, and new life. In that way, olive trees can grow, thrive, and regenerate for hundreds and thousands of years.

Due to popularity of the fruit, olives can be found in the temperate and warm areas throughout the world. Olives prefer hot weather and long periods of sun during the day. Even though they can survive on different soils, limestone offers the best conditions for fruit production. Olives are prone to fungal diseases and they are often targeted by various insects which lay eggs and destroy plant’s tissue. – SoftSchools.com

Q: Can I eat olives directly off the tree?

A: You can, but you probably don’t want to. That’s because before they are processed, olives are very bitter. The olives that you buy at the store have undergone a fermentation process to remove the bitter chemical compounds found in olive fruit. This process also releases lactic acid, naturally prolonging the shelf-life of olives. Even some olive oils are refined after being pressed to remove the natural bitter quality of the olive.

Q: Where do olive trees originate from?

A: The olive tree is most commonly associated with the Mediterranean. Most of our olive oil products come from countries bordering the

Olives will grow well on almost any well-drained soil up to pH 8.5 and are tolerant of mild saline conditions. Proper pruning is important for the olive. Pruning both regulates production and shapes the tree for easier harvest. The trees can withstand radical pruning, so it is relatively easy to keep them at a desired height.

Mediterranean Sea: Greece, Italy, Algeria, Turkey, Israel, etc. No one knows for sure which one of these regions cultivated the first olive trees, though Persia seems the most likely candidate. Today, the trees can be found throughout the world, and in such diverse places as Peru, Norfolk Island, China, Bermuda and California. This belies the olive tree’s botanical name, Olea Europaea, which means oil of Europe!

MORE FAQ’s About Olive Trees