Interesting Facts About Olive Trees

Hardworking cousins of the lilac and privet, the olive tree produces the fruit needed for olive oil. Some olive trees can live more than 1,000 years. This longevity occurs in the Mediterranean where climate conditions meet the strict requirements of the olive tree. The conditions needed include a hot growing season, yet the tree needs a winter period of temperatures between 35 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit. In the United States, only California, Texas and Arizona have the necessary growing conditions. Does this Spark an idea?

Climate

In addition to needing a winter with cool nights and warm days, the olive tree dies when exposed to temperatures below 15 degrees Fahrenheit. California has successful olive groves, but the fate of the tree in Texas is not guaranteed. According to Texas A&M University, experiments show that favorable climate conditions exist in East, Central and the Southern parts of the state, but in three of every 10 years, the trees will freeze. The trees won't freeze in the southernmost parts of Texas but also do not experience the cool winter needed.

Olive Tree Family

Olea europaea, the scientific name for this tree, comes from the Latin name for the tree, olea, and europaea meaning "of Europe." The olive tree family includes lilac, forsythia, jasmine and privet. More than 900 varieties of olive tree exist, and the best olive oil is produced by planting a variety of olive trees in a field and harvesting and pressing all the olives together.

The Olive Fly

Until 1997, olive groves in California grew easily and suffered few harmful pests. In 1998, the Bactrocera (Dacus) oleae, or olive fly, common in the Mediterranean, made its first unwelcome appearance. The fly lays eggs in young olives. It infests every single olive in a field if not controlled. Control of the flies requires weekly spraying with an insecticide containing spinosad.

The Fruit

The tree starts bearing fruit at around 5 years of age. The trees require pruning so that sunlight can reach all parts of the tree. Undertake pruning with care, though, since fruit develops on last year's growth. Olives right off the tree have a bitter taste. Producers soak olives in a water or brine solution, then a lye solution and give them a final rinse to remove bitterness. The olives processed in the Mediterranean often have a more bitter taste than those processed in California.