Olea europaea Manzanillo

A long lived, slow growing, evergreen tree with attractive, silvery-grey foliage and a grey trunk which becomes gnarled and dark with age.

Produces a large number of creamy-white, small flowers during spring, followed by green fruit which ripen to red or black through summer and autumn.

Olive trees are grown for their fruit, oil and timber.

Pick fruit at various stages of ripeness depending on desired flavour, green fruit is more bitter. Ideal container specimen for sunny courtyards.

Grow in a sunny position in well drained soil.

Tolerant of a wide range of soils including poor and rocky soil. For maximum fruit production plant in deep, fertile soil. Tolerates coastal exposure and light frost. Does not tolerate waterlogged soil.