Olive Tree Olea europaea P27 - STEM

Olea europaea is a neatly shaped evergreen tree with a dense, spreading crown of glossy grey-green to dark-green foliage. In summer it bears sprays of tiny, lightly scented creamy-white to greenish flowers, followed by small fleshy fruits that ripen purple-black. Best in full sun and well-drained soil in a warm, sheltered spot; slow growing and tolerant of dry conditions once established. Eventual size around 9m tall by 12m wide in 20–50 years.

This is a standard tree with a clear stem and a shaped crown above. The tree was grown up to this stem height and then pruned to stop the trunk growing taller. The clear stem will remain at the height you receive it at, with future growth coming from the top of the tree.

To help give a clear sense of scale, the stone wall shown in our photos measures approximately 265cm in height. We also use familiar garden tools as visual references: a digging fork (110cm tall) and a hand fork (30cm tall). These are included purely as size guides to help you better judge proportions when viewing the images.

Position: Full sun

Rate of Growth: Slow

Soil: Well-drained; light/sandy or chalky; moderately fertile

Hardiness: Hardy in most UK regions (to about -10°C); shelter from severe cold

Plant at a Glance