Olea europaea – Short Standard Free Form

Description

If you are not a fan of the formally pruned Olive and want something more naturally free form then this selection from Spain could be the answer for you with there thick trunks and looser heads.

The European Olive can live up to 2000 years. When the plant is young the trunk is straight and covered in smooth, silvery grey bark. Later the trunk becomes twisted, knobbly, darker and often with cavities. Olives are evergreen and have a narrowly oval leaf.

Olives are hardy in the southern UK and create great architectural features, however since we have three less growing months than the Mediterranean you are highly unlikely to see any Olive fruit developing. 

Olives can be be formally pruned and trained, or left to grow into a free form natural style. They require full sunlight and do not like excessive soil moisture so extra care must be taken to plant them in deep, dry, permeable soil in a south facing position protected from strong wind.

Origin: Mediterranean basin