Olea EUROPAEA 'ARBEQUINA'

Olea EUROPAEA 'ARBEQUINA' - European olive 'Arbequina', Olive tree, Cultivated olive.

Can be grown in bonsai style!

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 color is green of various shades. Leaves are entire, leathery, arranged oppositely. They can have different shapes. Stipules are absent.

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

Olea europaea is a result of selective breeding not found in the wild. It is a shrub with a low thick trunk or a short tree, growing on average up to 3 m (10 ft), at most - up to 5 m (16 ft). Leaves are narrow and long, with an entire margin and a pointed tip, varying in color from bluish to bluish-dark green.

Flowering occurs from late April to July. The flowers are white, gathered in racemose inflorescences. Four or five months after flowering, the fruits ripen. The fruits are olives resembling plums, 10-35 mm (0.4-1.4 in) in length, with a mass of 5-15 g (0.2-0.5 oz). The color of the fruits before ripening is gray, greenish. Depending on the variety, ripe fruits can be white, green, black, or pinkish in color.

'Arbequina' has recently become one of the world's most dominant olive cultivars. The dark brown fruits are very aromatic, small, symmetrical, with a rounded apex and a broad stalk cavity.

The germination rate of olives is not very high, so it is worthwhile to prepare more planting material. Before sowing, seeds are kept for 12-24 hours in warm water with the use of fertilizer or stimulant solutions. Next, they are sown into a sandy mix to a depth of 1-2 seed diameters. The process should take place at room temperature.

Germination is carried out under film for 4-5 months in a warm, bright place. For faster germination, seeds are first disinfected, then scarified, soaked for 6-8 hours, and sown according to standard technique. In this case, the first sprouts can be obtained in just 1.5-2 months.

Seedlings are pricked out into individual containers at the 2-4 true leaf stage. Another 3-4 months will be spent on the full development of the root system. Only after that will it be possible to transplant the young trees to their permanent spots.

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 outdoors is about 10 °C (50 °F). In temperate climates, an indoor form of this plant is often grown. A sunny spot protected from wind or drafts is best chosen for planting. It grows best on a sunny windowsill.

In winter, the olive is kept at a cooler temperature in a bright location protected from frosts. Watering at this time is sharply reduced.

During the growing season, abundant watering is carried out at least twice a week, while during the rest of the year it is limited. However, a good drainage system is required, since excess water can negatively affect the root system. On hot days, additional misting of the tree canopy with a spray bottle may be needed.

The soil should be predominantly sandy, but in no case acidic. It can be grown in a standard potting mix for houseplants. Its composition may include peat, sod soil, leaf mold, and sand. Fertilizing should be done from early spring to mid-summer, once or twice a month, using mineral fertilizers.

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