Plant Care Olive Tree

Olive Tree

4.3 out of 5 (13 experiences)

Olive Tree has a Fast grower plant personality Fast grower
Olive Tree has a Survivor plant personality Survivor

About Olive Tree

Common Olive is an important commercial tree used for fruits for eating and for the production of olive oil. The tree matures to have a gnarled and twisted trunk and grows to 20-30 feet tall. It can be grown outdoors in zones 8-10 or brought indoors or in a greenhouse in colder areas. It requires 2 months of temperatures in the 40-50 degree F range to flower. The white fragrant flowers occur in 2 inch long panicles in summer and are followed by a green drupe (the olive).

Taxonomy

Olea europaea
Olea
Oleaceae
Lamiales

Also known as

European Olive, Lady's Oil, Olive Oil Plant and Sweet Oil Plant

How to care for Olive Tree

💦 Water

How often to water your Olive Tree

Water needs for Olive Tree
0.5 cups
every 9

Olive Tree needs 0.5 cups of water every 9 when it doesn’t get direct sunlight and is potted in a 5" pot.

Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.

Calculate water needs of Olive Tree

Water 0.5 cups every
9

Does your plant get direct sunlight?

Select the pot size

5"
☀️ Light

Finding light for Olive Tree in your home

Light needs and placement for plant Olive Tree: 1ft from a window
1ft or less from
a window

Olive Tree love being close to bright, sunny windows 😎.

Place it less than 1ft from a south-facing window to maximize the potential for growth.

Olive Tree does not tolerate low-light 🚫.

Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement of Olive Tree in your home 🏡.

🪴 Nutrients

How to fertilize Olive Tree

Nutrient, fertilizer, and repotting needs for Olive Tree: repot after 2X growth

Most potting soils come with ample nutrients which plants use to produce new growth.

By the time your plant has depleted the nutrients in its soil it’s likely grown enough to need a larger pot anyway.

To replenish this plant's nutrients, repot your Olive Tree after it doubles in size or once a year—whichever comes first.

Browse #OliveTree
💡 FAQs
⭐ Difficulty Level

Olive Tree can be challenging to care for, according to some plant parents. Check out the reviews down below to learn from their experiences!

How to Grow Olive Tree →

Benefits of Growing Olive Tree →

Indoor Care Guide for Olive Tree →

Outdoor Care Guide for Olive Tree →


💦 Water Needs

Olive Tree prefers for the soil to dry out between waterings and should be watered regularly. Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.

Olive Tree Water Frequency →

Olive Tree Root Rot →


☀️ Sunlight Needs

Olive Tree requires abundant, bright and direct light. Place it less than one foot from a window to ensure it receives enough light to survive 💪. Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement in your home 🏡.

Olive Tree Light Requirements →

Olive Tree Direct Sunlight Needs & Tolerance →


🐶 🐈 👶 Toxicity

Olive Tree is not known to cause harm to humans or pets. Regardless, if you, a family member, a cat, or dog has ingested any plant material, please consult a doctor or a veterinarian.


💨 Humidity

Olive Tree doesn’t require additional humidity. Plants absorb most water through their root system rather than their leaves, so the best way to provide humidity for your plants is through watering the soil.

Olive Tree Humidity Needs →


🪴 Soil

Olive Tree does best in well-draining soil. A good soil will contain lots of organic matter such as coco coir as well as perlite or vermiculite to help with drainage. Adding a handful of perlite to regular store-bought potting soil should do the trick!

When and How to Successfully Repot Olive Tree →

What Are Healthy Olive Tree Roots →


💩 Fertilizer

Olive Tree should be repotted after it doubles in size or once a year, whichever comes first. Fresh potting soil has all the nutrients your plant needs, so as long as it’s refreshed yearly, you shouldn’t need to use fertilizer. Remember, plants get their energy from sunlight, not fertilizer!


🌎 Native Region

Olive Tree is native to Europe through Oceania.


🌸 Flowers
⬆️ ⬇️ Growth Pattern

Olive Tree grows vertically and new growth will emerge from the top of the plant.

Olive Tree Lifecycle →

Olive Tree Size Guide →

How and When to Prune Olive Tree →


🌦️ Growing Outdoors
🌱 Propagation

The seeds of Olive Tree can be used to grow new plants! After your plant flowers, any seeds that formed can be collected and germinated in potting soil.

How to Propagate Olive Tree →


🍂 Yellow Leaves

Yellow leaves aren’t always a reason to panic, and can be a normal part of a plant’s life cycle. Unless brand new leaves are turning yellow or all the leaves change color at once, it’s likely just your plant shedding old leaves.

Overwatering and root rot are the most likely cause of problems in Olive Tree, since they are sensitive to wet soil. The leaves may also appear to be curling or drooping. Less often, yellow leaves are caused by underwatering, nutrient deficiencies, or pests.

Replace soggy soil with fresh, dry soil and download Greg to make sure your plant never gets overwatered again!


🧐 Troubleshooting

When troubleshooting a sad-looking houseplant, start by checking for signs of distress in its leaves, such as yellowing, browning, or drooping, which can indicate overwatering or nutrient deficiencies.

Inspect the soil moisture; too dry or too wet soil can cause problems.

Ensure the plant is getting the right amount of light, as too much or too little can stress it.

Finally, consider environmental factors like temperature and humidity, and adjust care routines accordingly to revive your plant.


Care Summary for Olive Tree

Olive Tree

Olive Tree


Greg recommends:

Water

0.5 cups every 9 days

Placement

< 1ft from a window

Nutrients

Repot after 2x growth

Based on the 4” pot your plant is in, and that it doesn’t get direct sunlight.

What other plant parents say

Olive Tree has a Fast grower plant personality Fast grower 4
Olive Tree has a Survivor plant personality Survivor 2
Brittany avatar
@Brittany
leaf-1 25 Plants
xp 6,351 XP
globe Calgary, Alberta
08/15/2021

They are a little sensitive - I left it outside one night in may and it lost all its leaves in shock - but it did recover and now looks great!

Survivor Survivor
Darrell avatar
@Darrell
leaf-1 9 Plants
xp 145 XP
globe Wadsworth, OH
07/01/2021

Love the look. Had it 1 day.

Fast grower Fast grower

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