Olea EUROPAEA 'AFRICANA'

Olea EUROPAEA 'AFRICANA' - African olive, Wild olive, Indian olive, Olive tree.

Can be grown in bonsai style!

Olive (Olea) is a genus of evergreen trees and shrubs in the olive family (Oleaceae). In nature, its representatives grow in Africa, Southern Europe, Asia, and Australia. They prefer a subtropical or tropical climate.

Olives are trees or shrubs. Bark color is gray; foliage is green in various shades. The leaves are entire, leathery, oppositely arranged. They can have different shapes. Stipules are absent.

The flowers are small, usually white, gathered in inflorescences. The fruit is a drupe of rounded or oval shape. As a rule, it contains a single seed.

The African olive is a much-branched evergreen tree ranging from 2 to 15 m (6.6 to 49 ft) in height. The bark is rough, gray to brown in color. The leaves are from 3 to 7 cm (1.2 to 2.8 in) in length and from 0.8 to 2.5 cm (0.3 to 1 in) in width. Purple-black ovoid fruits appear from March to July. The wood is strong, heavy, curly-grained, and has a strong pleasant scent. The growth rate is slow, about 25-40 cm (10-16 in) per year. It is a subspecies of the European olive.

Germination in olives is not very high, so it is worth preparing more planting material. Before sowing, seeds are kept for 12-24 hours in warm water with the application of fertilizer or stimulator solutions. Next, they are sown in a sandy mixture to a depth of 1-2 seed diameters. The process should occur at room temperature.

They are germinated under film for 4-5 months in a warm, bright place. For prompt germination, seeds are first sanitized, then scarified, soaked for 6-8 hours, and sown according to standard technique. In this case, the first seedlings can be obtained in just one and a half to two months.

Seedlings are pricked out into separate containers at the phase of 2-4 true leaves. Another three to four months will be needed for complete root system development. Only after this can the young trees be transplanted to permanent locations.

In the first five years of life, an olive growing in a pot requires annual repotting. Plants grown from seeds are ready to bear fruit in 6-8 years.

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The olive requires a dry and warm climate with mild winters. The minimum temperature at which it can survive in open ground is about 10 °C (50 °F). In temperate climates, an indoor variety of this plant is often grown. It is better to choose a sunny planting location protected from wind or drafts. It grows best on a sunny windowsill.

In winter, the olive is kept at a reduced temperature, in a bright place protected from frost. Watering at this time is sharply restricted.

During the growing season, abundant watering is carried out at least twice a week; during the rest of the time, it is limited. However, a good drainage system is required, as excess water can negatively affect the root system. On hot days, additional spraying of the tree crown from a spray bottle may be required.

The soil is predominantly sandy, but in no case should it be acidic. It can be grown in a standard mix for houseplants. It may include peat, turf and leaf mold, and sand. Fertilizing is needed from the beginning of spring to the middle of summer, once or twice a month, with mineral feedings.

In indoor culture, it can be grown as a compact tree or shrub form, or as a bonsai. Regular pruning and container size will help give it the necessary shape and size.