Olive Plant (Olea europaea) Description
The olive plant, commonly referred to as the olive tree, is a small evergreen tree or shrub best known for producing olives—a fruit used for both eating and making olive oil.

🌿 Botanical Information:
Scientific Name: Olea europaea

Family: Oleaceae (Olive family)

Type: Perennial evergreen tree or shrub

Lifespan: Can live for several hundred years; some trees are over 1,000 years old

🌳 Physical Characteristics:
Height: Typically 10–40 feet (3–12 meters); can be kept smaller with pruning

Trunk: Gnarled, twisted, and often hollow with age

Leaves:

Shape: Narrow, lance-shaped (elliptical)

Color: Gray-green on top, silvery underneath

Texture: Leathery, with a waxy coating to reduce water loss

Flowers: Small, white to creamy-yellow; bloom in clusters in spring

Fruit (Olives):

Shape: Oval

Color: Green when unripe, turning black or dark purple when ripe

Use: Eaten whole (after curing) or pressed to produce olive oil

🌞 Growing Conditions:
Climate: Mediterranean climate preferred—hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters

Soil: Well-draining, slightly alkaline to neutral

Sunlight: Full sun (at least 6–8 hours per day)

Drought Tolerance: High, once established

🌱 Uses:
Culinary:

Olives (table varieties)

Olive oil (extra virgin, virgin, refined)

Ornamental: Popular in landscaping for their distinctive trunk and silvery foliage

Cultural: Symbol of peace, wisdom, and prosperity in many cultures.