Tree friend. Olive tree. Olea europaea subsp. europaea
a) The olive tree can live more than 1000 years. The oldest olive tree known in Spain is 1700 years old and as planted under the comand of the Roman Emperor Constantine.
b) It begins to produce at 5 years.
c) The olives ripen in autumm. In my zone, we collected them in November when they start to have a black color.
d) The olive tree produces olives throughout its life, although after 100 years the production decrease.
e) Is native to the Mediterranean.
f) Annual rainfall ranges between 400mm and 800mm per year.
g) Olea europaea subsp. europaea.
h) The olive tree is very resintant to drought. With the olives harvested, a high quality oil is produced. Olives are also eaten after using procedures to remove the bitterness. With the bark and the leaves tisanes are prepared with medicinal properties. The olive wood is very hard and compact and much appreciated in cabinetmaking. It is also very good for fire.
i) The olive tree in its maturity reaches between 10 and 15 meters, althought for the olive trees in production pruning is done to maintain it between 4 and 6 meters. It has a rounded canopy with a width of 4 or 6 meters. It has a thick and twisted trunk.
j) The olive tree doesn’t pollinate itself. It needs otero varieties to bear fruit. The polleros male flowers can travel throught the wind hundreds of kilometers and pollinate olive flowers that are far away.
