We all know and love olive trees for their rustic charm, but how much do we really know about them? There are so many wonderful and surprising facts about the olive tree and we’ve shared out favourite ones!
Olives are actually fruit!
They’re often mistaken as a vegetable, but it’s not the case. The olive is a fruit and can be pink, black, brown, purple, or green. They belong to a group of fruit called drupes, or stone fruits, and are related to mangoes, cherries, peaches, almonds, and pistachios.
They’re pretty much indestructible
So, if you struggle to keep plants alive – an olive tree is for you. Surprisingly they can withstand the extreme cold to -18 and the hottest summer days. Another interesting fact is that even if the tree above soil has died, the roots can regenerate, adding to its already impressive charm.
In ancient Greece, Olive trees were considered a sign of peace
They also used to turn the olive branch into a wreath to use as a trophy for victorious athletes in the original Olympic games! It’s also where the saying ‘holding out an olive branch’ comes from – a true sign of peace.
The average lifespan of an Olive tree can is between 300-60 years
However, in Crete, it’s reported that there is an olive tree over 3000 years old and it’s still bearing fruit! Now that’s one remarkable tree. There are few trees that can withstand extreme weather conditions like this one. It’s robust to the core.
As of 2005, there are over 800 million olive trees planted worldwide
And the vast majority of these were found in Mediterranean countries. It’s among the oldest known cultivated trees in the world – being grown even before the written language was invented! And its popularity certainly hasn’t faded over the years.
Here at the Norfolk Olive Trees, there’s not much we don’t know about the victorious olive tree. Not only that but we have an impressive range of trees in stock – take a look!
