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Arbequina Olive Tree Starter Plant | Container Friendly Compact Fruiting Olive Tree
Olea europea 'Arbequina'
Listing is for one rooted plant. Plants are grown in 72 cell trays so that they will be rooted but small enough for efficient shipping. Check out my YouTube video "Live Plant Care Guide & Delivery Unboxing for my Customers" for further instructions on what to expect with your live plant delivery and care tips: https://youtu.be/BmPw4rKLwDk
Grow your own olives at home with an Arbequina Olive Tree live starter plant — one of the most popular olive varieties in the world for backyard growers because it’s compact, productive, and beginner-friendly. Arbequina is especially unique for its early fruiting, heavy yields, and small, flavorful olives that can be used for curing or even pressing into oil. This variety is also loved because it has a naturally smaller growth habit than many traditional olive trees, making it a great option for small gardens, raised beds, and large containers on patios or sunny porches. With full sun, well-draining soil, and occasional deep watering once established, Arbequina is a tough, drought-tolerant tree that brings a beautiful Mediterranean look to your landscape — while giving you the chance to harvest your own homegrown olives!
How To Grow & Ideal Growing Conditions
USDA Hardiness Zones: 8-10
Protect young plants if temperatures drop below 40F. Once established they can endure colder temperatures.
Perennial evergreen tree - in cooler weather they can drop some leaves (especially after a cold snap, wind, or stress), but they shouldn’t go fully bare like a deciduous tree.
Self-fertile, meaning you just need one tree to get production. However, it will produce more if there are 2 or more trees that can cross pollinate with each other
Sun: Full sun
Mature size: 15–20 ft in the ground, but it can be maintained smaller with regular pruning or grown more compact in containers.
How Long Will This Starter Plant Take To Produce: if grown in ideal conditions, it can flower and fruit in year 2, but more heavy production should occur in year 3
Soil: Olive trees grow best in well-draining soil and they actually prefer soil that is not overly fertile or rich, and dry rather than constantly moist (think Mediterranean conditions). The #1 thing olives hate is wet feet, meaning soil that stays soggy for too long, because it can lead to root rot and poor growth. A sandy or loamy soil is ideal, but olives can still grow well in heavier soils as long as drainage is improved. If your soil holds water, plant your olive tree on a raised mound, in a raised bed, or in a container with a fast-draining mix. Olive trees also prefer a neutral to slightly alkaline pH.
How and When to Fertilize Olive Trees: Olive trees are not heavy feeders, and too much fertilizer—especially too much nitrogen—can cause a lot of leafy growth but less flowering and fewer olives. The best time to fertilize is early spring, right as the tree is waking up and starting new growth. You can apply a balanced slow-release fertilizer or a fertilizer slightly higher in potassium to support flowering and fruiting. If your tree is young and still establishing, light feeding helps it grow steadily, but mature olive trees usually need less. A second, lighter feeding can be done in late spring to early summer, especially if your tree is growing in sandy soil or a container where nutrients wash out faster. Avoid fertilizing late in the season because it can push tender new growth right before cooler weather and reduce the tree’s natural hardiness. For best results, always water the tree after fertilizing and adjust your feeding schedule based on how the tree is actually growing.
How To Prune Olive Trees: Olive trees flower and fruit on new growth that comes from last year’s branches, so pruning needs to be done at the right time. The best time to prune is late winter to early spring, after the risk of hard freezes has passed but before the tree puts on a big flush of new growth. Pruning helps you shape the tree for easier harvesting, improves airflow to reduce fungal disease, and keeps the tree at a manageable size. Olives can handle hard pruning if you need to control height or reshape the tree, but an olive tree won’t fruit twice in the same spot on a stem, so fresh growth each year is essential for next year’s crop. Olive trees also tend to produce heavier harvests every other year, and during a lighter year, you can sometimes improve production by pruning during bloom and removing branches that aren’t flowering, so the tree focuses energy on the ones that are.
Shipping ***Cannot ship to AK or HI*** Please understand that I only offer USPS flat rate priority mail options for plants. The longer a plant stays in transit, the greater the risk that it will arrive dead or damaged. I just want to ensure that plants arrive alive/healthy to my customers.
SEEDS
PLANTS & RHIZOMES
DELIVERED BUT NOT FOUND
To be eligible for a replacement:
Reports made after 24 hours of delivery will not be eligible for a refund or replacement. We are unable to replace or refund plants reported outside of this timeframe, as plant health after delivery is influenced by factors out of our control such as handling, environmental conditions, and care once received.
We are not responsible for lost, delayed, or damaged packages caused by USPS or UPS once the package is in the carrier’s possession. Shipping carriers are responsible for transit-related issues.
DELIVERED BUT NOT FOUND
By placing an order, you agree to this refund and replacement policy.
PLEASE CONTACT ME WITH ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR ISSUES VIA EMAIL: INFO@JERRASGARDEN.COM
