Olives

Olives are native to the Mediterranean and are a vital component of the culture and diet of the various civilizations that have inhabited that region. The olive has long been a symbol of peace, glory, purity and wisdom. It is estimated that olives have been cultivated in the Mediterranean for about 7000 years and commercially grown on the island of Crete for about 3000 years. Olives were brought to California in the late 1700s to be grown at the missions established by the Spanish.

Olives like a long, hot growing season in order to ripen the fruit, but will perform adequately in coastal areas. They also need some winter chill for fruit set, but late spring frosts can damage flowers. Temperatures below about 15 degrees will damage the trees themselves and fruit is damaged at about 28 degrees. Olives need full sun, good drainage and only occasional watering once established.

Because of their cultural requirements, we can only ship olives to the milder parts of California and Arizona. They are not suitable for any area that is very wet or extremely cold in the winter. The trees are evergreen and will be shipped in pots.