A little seed. A new beginning.
Seeds In A Cup®A LITTLE SEED. A NEW BEGINNING.

GROW SOMETHING WONDERFUL

Olive

Olea europaea

Your guide to planting, growing, and getting to know this plant.

THE PLANT NOTEBOOK

Olive care, from seed onward.

Botanical name
Olea europaea
Common names
Olive Tree
Family
Oleaceae
Genus
Olea
Species
O. europaea
01

Start growing

Hot dry summers, mild winters. Do not overwater.

02

Growing with your kit

Seeds In A Cup® provides a patient lesson in slow germination for this 'Peace Tree'.

03

Propagation

Cuttings (clones) or seed (wild rootstock).

04

Seasonal growth & harvest

Slow growing; fruit ripens in autumn/winter.

05

Growing conditions

Rocky, dry coastal slopes.

06

Weather & tolerances

Drought and heat tolerant.

07

Pests & plant health

Olive fruit fly, Xylella fastidiosa.

08

Plant safety

Raw fruit is inedibly bitter (oleuropein) and must be cured.

09

Botanical features

Evergreen tree with silvery leaves. Extremely long-lived (1000+ years).

10

Varieties

‘Arbequina’, ‘Kalamata’.

11

Garden & everyday uses

Oil, cured fruit, wood

12

Native range & distribution

Mediterranean Basin.

13

Conservation

Secure.

14

Name origins

Latin ‘oliva’.

15

History

Symbol of peace and wisdom; central to Mediterranean civilization.

Grow olive in a cup.