A mainstay of Mediterranean gardens, Olea europaea (Common Olive) is a slow-growing, evergreen tree prized for its picturesque habit, gnarled trunk, silvery foliage and spreading crown. The gray-green leaves, 2-3 in. long (5-7 cm), are silvery beneath and beautiful through the seasons. Very small, white, fragrant flowers appear in axillary racemes in summer. The fruit is a drupe, the well-known olive, that comes in many sizes and shapes. Olives need good summer heat to make their best fruit. Long-lived and extremely resilient, common olive trees can be grown as informal trees or formally clipped standards. They make ravishing hedging and are tough enough to withstand neglect in containers.

• Grows up to 20-30 ft. tall and wide (6-9 m).
• Performs best in full sun in fertile, sharply-drained soils. Common olive trees are drought tolerant once established.
• A charming addition to coastal gardens, city gardens, gravel gardens, Mediterranean gardens or containers.
• If you want to harvest fruit from your olive tree, it is best to grow 2 different varieties as cross-pollination increases yields significantly.
• Disease free. Keep an eye out for scale insect.
• 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.
• Native to the Mediterranean region.