Description
The Olive is the fruit of the Olive tree (Olea europaea)
The Olive is the fruit of the Olive tree (Olea europaea) and is a major component of the agriculture and gastronomy along the Mediterranean both in Europe and North Africa, as well as in the Middle East.
The olive tree, Olea europaea, is an evergreen tree or shrub native to the Mediterranean, Asia, and Africa. It is short and squat, and rarely exceeds 8 to 15 m (26 to 49 ft) in height. Pisciottana, a unique variety comprising 40,000 trees found only in the area around Pisciotta in the Campania region of southern Italy often exceeds this, with correspondingly large trunk diamete The silvery green leaves are oblong, measuring 4 to 10 cm (1.6 to 3.9 in) long and 1to 3 cm (0.39 to1.18 in) wide. The trunk is typically gnarled and twisted.Plant Specifications
*above specification are indicative only. actual dimensions may vary by +-10%
| Common Name | olive,jaitun,Olea europaea |
| Maximum Reachable Height | 26 to 49 feet |
| Flower Colour | The small, white, feathery flowers, with ten-cleft calyx and corolla, two stamens, and bifid stigma |
| Difficulty Level | medium |
Olive care
| Sunlight | Need full sun for fruit production and slight winter chill for the fruits to set. |
| Watering | Olives hate wet feet--period. |
| Soil | Can grow in nutrient-poor, but well-drained soils. Olives tolerate quite a wide range of pH, from 5 to 8.5, with about 6.5 being considered optimum. |
| Temperature | Should not be planted where temperature falls below 5 degree C. |
| Fertilizer | Olives require 40 to 100 pounds of actual nitrogen per acre yearly, an amount that can be supplied with legume cover crops or composted manure. |
Olive uses
Medicinal Use:
- Olive oil is used to prevent heart attack and stroke, breast cancer, colorectal cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, and migraine headache
Culinary Use:
- In foods, olive oil is used as a cooking and salad oil