Birthday
HydrangeasThe olive is an evergreen Mediterranean tree with silvery leaves that looks wonderful indoors and on a terrace. Growing one at home is quite achievable, and with the right winter conditions you may even get flowers and a small harvest. Here is how to care for an olive tree in a pot.
Which olive to choose
The olive for pots is Olea europaea, the species that gives us table olives. Buy a grafted plant or a rooted cutting from a nursery: these flower after 3–5 years. Seedlings grown from a stone are slow and only start fruiting after 10 years or more, and they don't come true to variety. For fruit, choose self-fertile varieties such as 'Arbequina' or 'Picholine'.
Light and temperature
Olives love light: place yours at a south- or west-facing window and move it outdoors to a balcony, terrace or garden in summer. After winter, introduce it to direct sun gradually. In winter the tree needs a bright but cool rest of about two months at 8–12 °C — this is what triggers flower buds. Mature trees in the ground tolerate brief frosts, but a potted olive is best kept above freezing, as roots in a container freeze faster.
Soil and repotting
Use loose, free-draining, neutral to slightly alkaline compost — a multipurpose mix with sand or perlite — over a thick drainage layer. Repot young plants every 1–2 years in spring and mature ones every 3–5 years, top-dressing in between.
Watering and feeding
Water thoroughly when the top 2–3 cm of soil has dried, so the whole root ball is moistened, and empty the saucer. Water less during the cool winter rest but don't let the soil dry out completely. Feed every 2–3 weeks from spring to late summer with a balanced fertiliser.
Pruning
In spring, remove dead, weak and crowding branches and shape the tree. Olives fruit on the previous year's growth, so if you want a harvest, don't cut back all the young shoots.
Flowers and fruit
After a cool winter, clusters of small, fragrant creamy-white flowers appear in spring. Olives are wind-pollinated, so help indoor trees by gently shaking the branches while they flower or moving pollen with a brush. Ripe olives can't be eaten straight from the tree — they are extremely bitter and need soaking and brining for several weeks.
Possible problems
- Leaf drop — caused by too little light, drying out or overwatering.
- No flowers — the winter was too warm or there wasn't enough sun.
- Pests — scale, whitefly and spider mites; check the leaves and treat as directed if needed.
FAQ
Can you grow an olive tree from a stone?
Yes, but it takes a long time: a seedling won't flower for at least 10 years. For fruit, buy a grafted plant.
Does an olive need a cool winter?
Yes — without 6–8 weeks at 8–12 °C it usually won't flower.
Looking for a houseplant? Choose from our potted plants with UFL delivery in Kyiv.
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Author: Maria Svitlovir
Graduated from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Institute of Biology and Medicine (2001). BSc in Biology, MSc in Horticulture. Writes about plants, works at a garden centre selecting and repotting plants, and contributes to plant reference guides.
