Mission Olive Tree

America’s only variety of olive, the Mission Olive Tree is a great choice for an outdoor olive tree in colder zones. It is hardy all through zone 8, taking 10 degrees of frost with ease. So all you zone 8 gardeners, this is for you – a real olive you can grow in your garden. If you are in a colder zone, no problem, because olive trees grow well in pots, and you can overwinter it indoors. That way you can enjoy the true Mediterranean look of an olive tree, whose silvery leaves and dark trunk spell ‘sunshine’ in any country. It’s a dual purpose tree too, as you can use the olives for pickling either green or black, and press the fruits for your very own juicy olive oil. Outdoors it will grow into a medium-sized tree, but in the ground or in a pot it is easily controlled by pruning, so you pretty much choose the size you want it to be. Use it as a lawn specimen, at the top of a slope, framing an entrance, or in a pot on a terrace – it looks great everywhere, and is easy to grow.

• America’s own variety, developed by Spanish missionaries in California
• A great dual-purpose tree, for pickling green or black, and for oil
• Very cold tolerant, and can be grown outdoors all through zone 8
• Excellent in a pot too, kept indoors during winter in any zone
• For a good crop, plant a second, different variety as a pollinator

The Mission Olive Tree will thrive in full sun, no matter how hot it gets. Established trees have excellent drought tolerance, although some watering while the fruit is growing is recommended if the soil is very dry. Plant in any well-drained soil, including rocky, sandy and dry soils – this is one tough tree. Water new trees regularly, soaking deeply so the roots go down and develop the strongest drought tolerance. Olive trees prefer alkaline soil, so if yours is acidic add garden lime when preparing the planting spot. Deer don’t eat it and although some pest or disease problems are possible, these don’t affect it being used as an ornamental tree. Prune after harvesting, or in spring, and this tree tolerates hard pruning, so it can be kept small.