It is easy to look at the vast selection of olives available in your gourmet grocery store and imagine that you can grow any or all of these varieties. But you’ll find only a few types available at your local garden center or through mail order retailers. However, if you live in a dry, warm climate (generally zones 8–10), you can successfully grow several fruiting olive varieties to provide for the table or to press the olives for oil.
Growing Fruiting Olive Trees
The original species of olive trees were native to Syria and Asia Minor, but they’ve been cultivated for thousands of years, and the most well-known varieties are now attached to the regions where they were principally developed and cultivated. These subtropical regions offer the same kind of climate that supports the growth of wine grapes, but olives require even more care and take much longer to mature. However, olives tend to live and produce fruits for hundreds of years, so the time investment is worth it. Olive trees are not grown from seed. They’re either started from root or branch cuttings or are grafted onto other rootstock or trees. Olive trees tend to be self-pollinating, but planting two varieties will improve pollination and productivity. The edible olive “fruit” is not a traditional fruit at all but a drupe—a fleshy structure that contains a single stone-like seed (like peaches and cherries). When compared to other drupe fruits, olives are relatively low in sugar and high in oil content. All olives start green and gradually ripen to a darker brown, reddish-purple, or black. The riper the olive, the darker the color. Ripeness also affects the flavor and texture. Green olives tend to retain a firm texture and a fruity, nutty flavor. As olives ripen, they soften to a meaty texture and a more complex flavor. The fruits don’t all ripen at the same time which makes harvesting labor-intensive. Olives are generally harvested by hand so that they’re picked only when ripe and aren’t dropped on the ground and bruised. You can expect at least 20 pounds—and up to 100 pounds—of olives from a mature tree, depending on its size and variety. Once picked, olives for the table are generally cured in brine for up to one year, which sweetens them for eating. They also can be dry-cured in salt, rinsed, and cured in olive oil. There are other methods of curing, but they’re normally used in commercial operations, not at home. Here are 10 varieties of fruiting olive trees often available for purchase in the United States.
Native Area: SpainUSDA Growing Zones: 8-10Height: 15–30 feetSun Exposure: Full
Native Area: California (via Spain)USDA Growing Zones: 7–10Height: 25–30 feetSun Exposure: Full
Native Area: FranceUSDA Growing Zones: 8–10Height: 20–30 feetSun Exposure: Full
Native Area: SpainUSDA Growing Zones: 8–10Height: 20–30 feetSun Exposure: Full
Native Area: Central GreeceUSDA Growing Zones: 9–11Height: 20–30 feetSun Exposure: Full
Native Area: SicilyUSDA Growing Zones: 8–11Height: 15–20 feetSun Exposure: Full
Native Area: SpainUSDA Growing Zones: 8–11Height: 20–30 feetSun Exposure: Full sun
Native Area: Southern GreeceUSDA Growing Zones: 7–10Height: 20–25 feetSun Exposure: Full
Native Area: ItalyUSDA Growing Zones: 8–11Height: 25–30 feetSun Exposure: Full
Native Area: Tuscany, ItalyUSDA Growing Zones: 8–11Height: 20–25 feetSun Exposure: Full
