Summers that are long, hot, and dry are best for olive trees. Winters that are cool and not too dry are also good. They are native to Mediterranean climates. They like a sharply drained calcareous or limey soil, and can tolerate salty, coastal locations. Many types of olive trees need to be cross-pollinated, which means you need at least two different types to get fruit every time. Perfect Plants offers the Arbequina olive variety (Olea europaea) which is self-fertile and a semi evergreen tree.
Olives are one of the most ancient and iconic fruits, synonymous with Mediterranean cuisine and landscapes. Their oil has been used for cooking, medicine, religious rituals, and lighting for thousands of years. But unlike grapes that grow on winding vines, olives sprout from trees. So do olives actually grow on vines?
The short answer is no. Olives grow on olive trees, which are a completely separate species from grape vines. But with their gnarled trunks and tangled branches, olive trees can appear vine-like at first glance. Let’s take a deeper look at why olives and grapes have evolved such different growth habits.
Olive Trees Are Not Vines
Olives are the fruit of Olea europaea, a small evergreen tree or shrub. Olive trees belong to the Oleaceae family, which also includes lilacs, jasmines, and ash trees. They can grow up to 10-15 meters tall and live for hundreds of years. The olive tree produces fragrant white flowers which later develop into green olives that ripen to shades of purple or black.
In contrast, grapes emerge from woody vines that belong to the Vitaceae family. Grapevines like Vitis vinifera spread out horizontally along trellises or climb up supports using tendrils. Their bark peels off in strips as the vines age over years. Tiny, sweet-smelling flowers give rise to juicy grapes in green, red, black, and purple hues.
So olive trees and grapevines are completely distinct plant species that are not closely related at all. Olives grow on olive trees, while grapes of course grow in clusters on grapevines.
Why Don’t Olives Grow on Vines?
Over millions of years, olive trees evolved to stand upright as small trees rather than spread out as vines. A key reason is their method of seed dispersal.
Olive trees rely on birds and animals to consume the fruits and disperse their seeds through defecation. For optimal seed distribution, the olive tree needed to grow tall enough so birds and mammals could easily reach the fruits.
In contrast, grapevine seeds are dispersed by wind and gravity Growing low along the ground aided seed scattering by the wind Vines could then utilize nearby structures like tree branches to climb upwards into sunlight.
These evolutionary differences resulted in olives developing on trees which stand erect, while grapes sprout from flexible vines with clinging tendrils. Interestingly, grapevines don’t cling for support when young – they start out as shrubs and only begin vining as they mature.
Do Olives Sometimes Resemble Vines?
While olives don’t actually grow on vines, olive trees can start looking quite vine-like as they age. Older olive trees often have extensively twisted and intertwined trunks and branches. This gives them a somewhat vine-like appearance, even though it’s still a tree structure.
Very old olive trees also tend to form hollows in their trunks and burls on their branches. Over decades or centuries of growth, bark may peel away revealing gnarled, knotted wood underneath. Damaged branches may droop down but continue growing along the ground. All these characteristics lend an aged olive tree a somewhat vine-like essence.
Some olive varieties like dwarf olives are also naturally shrubby and bushy. When pruned to form hedges, these varieties resemble giant, structural vines. But their base stems still form woody trunks rather than pliable vines.
So while the olive tree may mimic vines in some ways, make no mistake – olives sprout from trees! Their fruit, oil, and mystique have relied on the olive tree’s resilient wood for thousands of years.
Frequency of Entities:
olives: 27
olive trees: 16
vines: 10
grapes: 7
grow: 6
trees: 5
grapevines: 4
branches: 2
trunks: 2
evolve: 1
seed dispersal: 1
gnarled: 1
shrubs: 1
hedges: 1
Where Do Olives Grow?
To produce olives, the Arbequina olive tree requires at least 300 chill hours; that is, 300 hours below about 45°F in the wintertime, making it well adapted for in-ground cultivation in United States Department of Agriculture Plant Hardiness Zones 7B-11 (find your USDA zone). Arbequinas cannot withstand below freezing temperatures below 25-30°F. Where not cold hardy, you can grow Arbequina olives trees in a pot to be brought indoors in the winter months. The Arbequina olive is semi-deciduous, usually dropping some of its attractive gray-green leaves in the winter. Arbequina tends to bear heaviest in alternate years, and fruiting may be increased when another variety is nearby for cross pollination. It is also pest and disease resistant, especially to fungal diseases. Once established, arbequina olive tree care requires little maintenance! Under good growing conditions, you should expect to harvest some olives by the time the trees are 3-6 years old.
We’ve determined you’re in Growing Zone 10b
Summers that are long, hot, and dry are best for olive trees. Winters that are cool and not too dry are also good. They are native to Mediterranean climates. They like a sharply drained calcareous or limey soil, and can tolerate salty, coastal locations. Many types of olive trees need to be cross-pollinated, which means you need at least two different types to get fruit every time. Perfect Plants offers the Arbequina olive variety (Olea europaea) which is self-fertile and a semi evergreen tree.
How Do Olives Grow?
FAQ
Do olives grow on a tree or vine?
Do olive trees grow in vineyards?
What do olives grow on?
Do olives grow on branches?
Do olive trees grow on trees?
Lots of people ask us do olives grow on trees?Yes, you CAN grow olive tree plants! Growing olive trees in the backyard orchard or in a container is not only possible, but easy and very rewarding. Learn how to plant an olive tree with this Olive Tree Planting Guide; it will lead you in the right direction for a healthy and thriving fruit tree!
Do olive trees grow fast?
The olive flowers are small and white. They generally appear once the tree is established, a few years after planting. The tree grows quickly in the first few years of its life. However, growth slows down as they grow to mature trees. Various types of these trees are grown in all Mediterranean countries.
Can you grow olives in Your Home Garden?
Growing olives in your home garden is to be a part of ancient gardening history. Olives date back to ancient Greece, so I can’t help but imagine those same plants growing in the Mediterranean sun when I look at mine laden with delicious fruit. Olive trees are easy to grow and maintain, and they do equally as well in containers or the ground.
Can you grow olive trees in pots?
It is possible to grow olive trees in pots, but you often won’t have as large of a mature plant, and it can easily become rootbound. It may not produce as much fruit as an in-ground tree will. An olive orchard can be extremely attractive, as seen at this winery. Source: Ray in Manila
