Olive Olea europaea
Olive (Olea europaea) is an evergreen perennial tree in the Oleaceae family. It grows 4–8 m (13–26 ft) tall and 3–6 m (10–20 ft) wide, wants full sun and low water, and is hardy to about -8 °C (18 °F). Space plants about 5 m (16 ft) apart.
Plan Olive in your garden →
Free. Draw your beds, then watch it grow through the year in 2D and 3D.
Olive at a glance
| Type | Perennial tree, evergreen |
|---|---|
| Family | Oleaceae |
| Mature height | 4–8 m (13–26 ft) |
| Mature spread | 3–6 m (10–20 ft) |
| Spacing | 5 m (16 ft) centre to centre |
| Sun | Full sun, at least 8 h of direct sun a day |
| Water | Low; drought tolerance high, waterlogging tolerance none |
| Cold hardiness | About -8 °C (18 °F) once established (roughly USDA zone 8) |
| Heat stress | Likely above about 42 °C (108 °F) |
| Flowering | from about May for 2–4 weeks (northern hemisphere; later in cold climates, earlier in warm ones) |
| Wind tolerance | Moderate |
| Pollinator value | Low |
| Edible | Yes: cured fruit |
| Common in gardens of | 🇫🇷 France, 🇺🇸 United States, 🇦🇺 Australia, 🇿🇦 South Africa, 🇵🇪 Peru, 🇮🇹 Italy, 🇪🇸 Spain, 🇬🇷 Greece, 🇵🇹 Portugal, 🇹🇷 Turkey, 🇲🇦 Morocco, 🇮🇱 Israel |
Is Olive toxic?
- People: not known to be toxic
- Cats: not known to be toxic
- Dogs: not known to be toxic
Olive is listed as non-toxic to people, cats and dogs; raw fruit is bitter and needs curing.
If a child or pet may have eaten part of a plant, call a poison centre or vet straight away.
Companion planting: what to grow with Olive
No well-documented helpful pairing. Group it with plants that like full sun and low water.
See Olive in a botanical garden
It grows in these sample gardens, which you can walk through in 3D:
- UC Botanical Garden, Berkeley (1 plants)
- Gardens by the Bay (3 plants)
- The Butchart Gardens (3 plants)
- Kew: glasshouses and rock garden (2 plants)
- Riverside botanical garden (4 plants)
Questions about Olive
- How far apart should I plant Olive?
- About 5 m (16 ft) apart, centre to centre. A mature plant spreads 3–6 m (10–20 ft).
- Does Olive need full sun?
- Full sun: at least 8 hours of direct sun a day.
- How much water does Olive need?
- Low water. Drought tolerance is high and waterlogging tolerance none.
- How cold-hardy is Olive?
- It tolerates about -8 °C (18 °F) once established, roughly USDA zone 8.
- When does Olive flower?
- From about May for 2–4 weeks (northern hemisphere; later in cold climates, earlier in warm ones).
- Is Olive poisonous to cats and dogs?
- For cats it is not known to be toxic; for dogs not known to be toxic; for people not known to be toxic. Olive is listed as non-toxic to people, cats and dogs; raw fruit is bitter and needs curing.
- What grows well with Olive?
- There is no well-documented companion pairing for Olive. Group it with plants that like the same sun (full sun) and water (low).
Sources and evidence
Evidence grade C (C: plausible, mixed evidence).
- ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List, ASPCA
- FAO Irrigation and Drainage Paper 56 — Crop Evapotranspiration, FAO
- RHS Plant Finder, Royal Horticultural Society
- University extension gardening guides (general), Various land-grant university extensions
Notes and assumptions
- Typical garden-cultivar values; varieties differ.
- Oily foliage burns readily in wildfire.
Reference values for planning, not horticultural, veterinary or medical advice. Varieties, soils and local climates differ: check with a local nursery or extension service.
Related plants
- Common lilac Syringa vulgaris
- Common privet Ligustrum vulgare
- Forsythia Forsythia x intermedia
- Common jasmine Jasminum officinale
- Sweet osmanthus Osmanthus fragrans
- Arabian jasmine Jasminum sambac
- Early lilac (Chinese lilac) Syringa oblata
- Night jasmine (parijat) Nyctanthes arbor-tristis