 Olea europaea. A gnarled olive tree. A clambering grape vine. Caper bushes spilling down the hill. An olive tree, just one, evokes memorable landscapes from Andalusia eastward to the Levant. We are pleased to offer exceptional new varieties, including the renowned Bella Di Cerignola, Cailletier and Lucques. Full sun and good drainage required. Expect harvestable crops in about three years. The first fruits are almost all pit and no meat and it's best to remove them, although few people can bring themselves to do it. You must process olives within a few days of harvesting, whether for oil or table, or they'll start to decompose and the end result will be inferior. Never use olives that have fallen off the tree when curing or pressing. Olive trees bear their fruit on one year old shoots. To promote this growth, prune your trees in spring. You can pinch the branches of new trees or prune back branches of established trees. Olive trees won't bear fruit twice on the same wood, so remove bearing shoots from the previous year each spring. If you want to enhance growth, be sure to fertilize well. Seaweed not only provides boron, which olives need, but it also helps trees survive cold weather. Well-aged manure, dolomitic lime and greensand provide an excellent top layer food source that will slowly and safely release nutrients to the trees. In colder climates, grow olive trees in a pot that can be brought into a sun porch during the winter. Olive trees need at least 100 hours of temperatures below 50 degrees in the winter, so keep this requirement in mind when considering growing olive trees indoors. Zones 9-10 outdoors, where trees grow to about 20-25 feet. Please read varietal descriptions for pollenizer requirements, although many olives will bear a crop without pollenizers. Fruit and new growth injured at 26 degrees, tree injured at 16 degrees. A note on the olive fruit fly: it has become established throughout California olive growing regions. You can control it organically by using Spinosad, but diligence is required. A second note: olives prefer dry conditions and are prone to fungal disease in areas of high humidity, such as many areas of the Southeast. Thomas Jefferson, a great gardener, had his heart broken over his olive trees' intransigent refusal to produce a harvestable crop at Monticello. Ground shipping charges are 35% for CA, 40% for OR, WA,AZ and NV, and 45% to rest of U.S. Orders received by Fridays at 5 pm PST will be shipped the following Monday if weather allows. Sorry, no shipping to AK,HI. |
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 | | Manzanillo Olive Tree 4" x 9" pot A classic California dual purpose olive, the Manzanillo drupes are rounded with a high flesh-to-pit ratio and firm, meaty flesh. Generally harvested early when green. Tree has a low and spreading canopy so remove the lower branches as needed to suit your landscape. Partially self-fertile but higher yields with Ascolano as a pollenizer. Sturdy grower. Trees as of December 2022 are semi-dormant, about 3' tall, branching, smaller than photo. Grown in 4" x 9" pots. OUT OF STOCK. |
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 | | Kalamata Olive Tree 2 gal Kalamata olives are justly famous for their torpedo shaped flavor bombs. Almost always cured black, these are large and meaty, with easy pitting. Can also be used for a superior oil. Tree is vigorous and erect. Can take more cold than other varieties. Will bear bigger crops with a pollenizer such as Leccino or Pendolino. As of July 2020 trees are pruned to fit into 4' boxes, 1/2" caliper trunk and some branching. Grown in 8" x 12" 2 gal pots. OUT OF STOCK. |
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 | | Santa Caterina Olive Tree 5" x 8" pot Yet another choice table olive courtesy of Tuscany, the Santa Caterina is a big, billowy tree with matching drupes. The very large olives are harvested an emerald green for the table and come in early, usually September. A vigorous grower that will withstand colder temperatures than other varieties. Will produce bigger crops with Pendolino or Frantoio within 200 feet. As of July 2022, trees are about 2.5' tall, branching developing, full roots. Grown in 5" x 8" pots. OUT OF STOCK. |
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 | | Picual Olive Tree 5" x 8" pot The most popular Spanish cultivar for both table olives and oil, Picual has exceptionally high polyphenol levels which give the medium-sized drupes their characteristic pungent flavor. Self-fertile, highly productive at an early age, and adaptable to challenging conditions, including cold resistance. Picual trees have expansive crowns and low,open growth. As of January 2023 trees are 3/8" caliper, a few branches, about 3' tall. Grown in 5" x 8" containers. OUT OF STOCK. |
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 | | Picholine Olive Tree 5" x 8" pot Grown primarily in the Languedoc region of France, the Picholine is the go to olive for martinis due to its nutty flavor and meaty texture. An esteemed table olive, cured when green. Late harvest, so difficult to bring in a crop in areas with early frost. The tree has a short, upright and delicate growth pattern, with pale green leaves. Partially self-fertile, but a better harvest if planted with Leccino or Manzanillo. Despite its delicate looks, Picholine is nevertheless a sturdy grower. Grown in 5" x 8" pots, trees as of April 2022 are small, about a foot tall, flowering, roots well developed. |
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 | | Arbequina Olive Tree 4" x 9" pot These Arbequina trees are about 3' tall, branching, smaller than photo as of March 2022. Young olive trees grow quickly their first few seasons, and then decelerate to their typical slow growth rate. Grown in 4" x 9" containers. OUT OF STOCK UNTIL SPRING 2023. |
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 | | Nocellara del Belice Olive Tree 1 gal Olives from this Sicilian cultivar are known as Castelvetrano in the U.S. If you haven't experienced biting into one, it's time to seek out these flavor bombs. The drupes are huge, up to a quarter ounce, and the brightest green after brining. With a small pit and a buttery, perfumed flesh, this olive is incomparable. If you're in the Bay Area, go to Berkeley Bowl for your Castelvetrano fix. The oil is likewise remarkable, with a light body and a rosy fragrance. The Nocellara del Belice tree has a wide crown, medium height to about 20' and produces heavily. Disease resistant, especially when grown in fertile soils with adequate moisture. Will have higher yields with a pollenizer such as Pendolino. Grown in 1 gal pots, these trees as of December 2019 are slightly larger than photo, about 2' tall, narrow caliper less than pencil width, some branching. Can remain in existing pot for the season. OUT OF STOCK. |
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 | | Nocellara del Belice Olive Tree 4" x 6" pot These Nocellara del Belice olive trees are well-developed as of January 2023. They're about 3' tall, branches beginning to form on some trees, narrow caliper less than pencil width, larger than photo. Well-developed rootball, grown in 4" x 6" pots. |
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 | | Nocellara del Belice Olive Tree the pair These young Nocellara del Belice olive trees are grown in 3" x 4" pots. As of May 2021, they're about 8" tall, narrow caliper, smaller than photo. Sold as a pair. OUT OF STOCK. |
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 | | Koroneiki Olive Tree 4" x 9" pot Koroneiki trees have dominated Greek olive groves since Homer wrote The Odyssey and no doubt dipped bread into the peppery oil we still enjoy thousands of years later. Koroneiki olives are smaller than other varieties, matching the compact growth pattern of the tree. Small, thick leaves. Oil has very high oleic acid content. One of the more tender varieties. Self-fertile. As of February 2023 trees are about 3' tall, branching, smaller than photo. Grown in 4" x 9" containers. OUT OF STOCK UNTIL SPRING 2023. |
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 | | Leccino Olive Tree 1 gal Oil from the Leccino olive tree is more delicate than the Frantoio, and the small to medium fruit is also used for table olives. The olives ripen into black ovals practically all at once, so be prepared. The Leccino olive tree is a vigorous grower, with gray leaves and a graceful airy habit. Partially self-fertile, but to maximize production plant compatible olive tree pollenizers such as Pendolino, Maurino, Picholine or Frantoio. As of January 2023, trees are 2.5' tall, some branching, smaller than photo. Grown in 1 gal pots. OUT OF STOCK. |
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 | | Bella di Cerignola Olive Tree 2 gal Bella Di Cerignola may offer the most beautiful and delicious olives of any tree. It ripens early and is generally brined soon after turning a celadon green. Drupes are huge, nearly a half ounce of crisp, buttery meat. Hailing from Puglia, this tree has a spreading canopy with gracefully weeping branches. Appreciates being well-fed and watered. Will produce greater harvest with the pollenizers Coratina, Pendolino or Leccino. Grown in 8" x 12" 2 gal pots, this new crop of trees is about 3' tall, some are flowering, well branched as of May 2021. OUT OF STOCK. |
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 | | Bella di Cerignola Olive Tree 1 gal This 1 gal version of the Bella di Cerignola olive is larger than photo as of June 2021. Tree is about 1' tall, narrow trunk, branching and some are blooming. OUT OF STOCK. |
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 | | Bella di Cerignola Olive Tree the pair Bella di Cerignola sold as a pair and grown in 3" x 7" pots. As of December 2019 trees are pretty sturdy, some branching, around 12" tall. Please note the pots have a rounded bottom so you'll have to transplant them into containers or the ground when you receive them. OUT OF STOCK. |
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 | | Frantoio Olive Tree 4" x 6" pot The primary varietal used in Tuscan oil production, the Frantoio olive tree is useful to the home gardener as well. This olive tree is self-fertile, meaning it doesn't require another variety to set fruit, but is also an excellent pollenizer to other olive trees. The Frantoio olive tree grows in semi-pendulous fashion, with dark green-gray leaves. The fruit also makes a good table olive after curing, with a slightly nutty flavor to the medium-sized fruit. As of February 2023 trees are about about 3' tall, branching beginning, full root development. |
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 | | Ascolano Olive Tree 4" x 6" pot A vigorous and upright grower with slightly twisted and substantive grey-green leaves, Ascolano is prized for the huge size and delicate taste of its olives. Since you can't get something for nothing, the downside is that Ascolano olives bruise easily and then you can't cure them. So harvest carefully. Fruit set is also fairly low. Doesn't turn black when ripe. Also used to produce a light and delicate oil. Ascolano is the most cold hardy of the Tuscan cultivars. Partially self-fertile, but you'll get more drupes using pollenizers Frantoio, Leccino, Pendolino or Manzanillo. Trees are about 2.5' tall, smaller than photo as of February 2023. Grown in 4" x 6" pots. |
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 | | Cailletier Olive Tree 5" x 8" pot Known in cooking circles as Nicoise, Cailletier olives pack a lot of nutty, intense flavor in a small package. Cured black. Main cultivar around Nice, France. Tree is vigorous, large and eventually pendulous. Generally self-fertile. Watch out for olive fruit fly on this one. Trees are in prime condition as of January 2022, branching, about 3' tall. Grown in 5" x 8" pots. |
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 | | Cailletier Olive Tree the pair Cailletier sold as a pair, grown in 3" x 4" pots. As of April 2021, these are well-developed young trees, over 2' tall, strong trunk, branching beginning in some trees, full rootball. OUT OF STOCK. |
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 | | Lucques Olive Tree The Pair You know an olive must be exceptional when David Leibovitz sings its praises. These olives are challenging to find in markets so all the more reason to grow your own, even if you don't have a Languedoc potager. See below for cultural requirements. Trees as of March 2020 are about 12" tall, branch buds developing, narrow caliper. Grown in 3" x 7" tree pots. These pots have rounded bottoms so prepare to plant them upon receipt. Sold as a pair. OUT OF STOCK. |
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 | | Lucques Olive Tree 5" x 8" pot An easy grower that prefers adequate irrigation, with an upright habit and high productivity of delicious olives picked green for curing. Ripens late. The primary French cultivar and for good reason. Best yields if pollenized with Picholine. As of June 2022 trees are about 2.5' tall, sturdy caliper, branching. Grown in 5" x 8" pots. OUT OF STOCK. |
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| Pendolino Olive Tree 4" x 9" grower's pot This weeping olive tree is slow growing but well worth the wait. In fact, to see this olive tree in the gloaming, its narrow leaves backlit like slivers of a silver sun, is a heart-pounding experience. Pendolino olive trees are partially self-fertile, but you need pollenizers if you want a large fruit crop. Compatible olive tree pollenizers include Leccino and Maurino. Pendolino olive trees are used extensively as pollenizers in large olive tree groves. The fruit makes small but delicious green and black table olives as well. Trees as of December 2022 are smaller than photo, about 3' tall, branching. OUT OF STOCK. | |
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 | | Taggiasca Olive Tree 5" x 8" pot This self-fertile cultivar hails from Liguria, where Benedictine monks selected for the traits expressed in today's Taggiasca olive trees. The small to medium olives yield a light, fine oil with a delicate almond flavor. For eating, the olives are cured black. They have a sweet buttery taste. Mature tree has average size and vigor, with a semi-weeping habit. Very late ripening. Leaves are green-gray on top, silver on bottom. As of March 2020 trees are well-established, over 3' tall and branching. Grown in 5" x 8" pots. OUT OF STOCK. |
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