Olive Tree Black Branches
The branches do have small spines that can prick your fingers so wear gloves when handling.
Olive tree black branches. Though commonly called black olive tree this native of the upper florida keys some consider it native others do not is not the edible olive we know and love but does produce a small black seed capsule. With spring only a few weeks away it should have been sprouting new growth. This tree does it all on its own and each one is unique. Imagine a bonsai tree growing in your own backyard with no trimming and shaping required.
Black olive is a 40 to 50 foot tall evergreen tree with a smooth trunk holding up strong wind resistant branches forming a pyramidal shape when young but developing a very dense full oval to rounded crown with age. And manzanilla which is the typical california black olive suitable for canning. There are other plants which bear the name olive so make sure to look for a european olive tree when you are growing olive trees. The color of the olive is an indication of how ripe the olive was when harvested.
The galls turn black over time and may ooze bacteria. Here s a close up of the trunk of our olive tree showing the black scales. The riper the olive the darker in color it will be. Use a pair of sharp clean pruning shears to prevent spreading disease to the tree.
This black olive tree is a moderate grower that can reach 30 feet in height. Olive knot is characterized by creamy whitish rough galls 1 2 inch to 2 inches in diameter that appear on the trunk and branches of a tree. The bacteria usually enter through a cut or opening in the tree and interrupt the water and sugar supply causing dead branches and falling leaves. Make slanted cuts flush with the branches to clip off small shoots and branches to give your olive tree a martini glass shape.
Some cultivars that flourish here are self fertilizing ones such as arbequina and mission grown for oil. Pisciottana a unique variety comprising 40 000 trees found only in the area around pisciotta in the campania region of southern italy often exceeds this with correspondingly large trunk diameters. The olive tree olea europaea is an evergreen tree or shrub native to the mediterranean asia and africa it is short and squat and rarely exceeds 8 15 m 26 49 ft in height. For thicker branches use a hand saw but dip it into isopropyl alcohol for 30 seconds to disinfect it.
Olives olea europaea vary in color texture size and flavor. The exquisite dwarf black olive adds a graceful touch to an oriental garden accents the entry to a modern home or mixes well with eclectic landscaping. 148 00 item 4167gn more info buy page. Evergreen and salt tolerant it prefers full to part sun and does best in zone 10.
All olives start green and pass through shades of brown reddish purple and black.