Plant library · Fruit Trees
Olea europaea
Olive is a long-lived evergreen fruit tree with a broad, enduring presence in mild-winter gardens. Reaching about 25 feet tall and 20 feet wide, it suits an open, sunny position where its canopy can become a permanent part of the layout. Its low-water needs and preference for hot, dry summers make it a strong fit for dry-looking borders, gravelly settings, and spacious edible landscapes rather than irrigated lawn areas.
Use Olea europaea as a small shade tree, structural focal point, or anchor at the back or edge of a large fruit planting. Keep the trunk far enough from patios, driveways, walls, and narrow paths that the mature canopy does not crowd circulation or cast unwanted shade over lower sun-loving beds. Its evergreen canopy gives the garden year-round mass, so place it where a permanent overhead layer will not interfere with future bed expansion or access for pruning and harvest.
Plant olives 20 feet apart, center to center, allowing each tree to develop its roughly 20-foot mature spread without canopy congestion. Treat that distance as the minimum tree-to-tree grid, not as a setback from paths or buildings. Leave a clear working margin outside the canopy for a ladder, harvest access, and pruning, and avoid filling the root zone with permanent structures or dense woody planting.
Reserve a full-sun site with at least six hours of direct sun and soil that drains freely after rain. Once established, olive tolerates dry conditions, making it better aligned with restrained irrigation than with regularly wet planting areas. Do not place it in a low pocket where water lingers or beside plants that require frequent watering.[1][2]
Small flowers arrive from late spring into early summer, followed by a fall to early-winter harvest period. Keep the ground beneath and around the tree accessible through autumn, rather than committing the entire area to tall seasonal planting. The evergreen canopy remains in place through winter, so account for its shade and visual weight in every season.
Fruit production can vary with cultivar and local conditions. Where a harvest is a priority, reserve room for more than one compatible cultivar rather than assuming a single tree will provide the fullest crop. Avoid positioning fruiting trees directly over hardscape or frequently used seating areas, since dropped fruit can create cleanup work.[1][2]
Editorial content updated 2026-07-20.