Love olives? Growing olives at home is completely possible! One of the longest-lived fruit trees, olives are a legacy tree that produces fruit for centuries. Everyone knows the olive, a staple of cocktails and great in salads. But have you ever considered growing olives yourself? Perhaps more importantly, is an olive a fruit or a vegetable?
Most people seem to consider them to be vegetables. But those black olives on tree branches are most definitely a fruit. They develop in a range of colors: purple, green, dark brown, black, and even pink! Both dwarf olive trees and regular ones originated from western Asia and spread down the coast of the Mediterranean Sea.
These lovely trees are evergreen and are considered to be one of the longest-living fruit trees. The average lifespan of these trees is generally between 300 to 600 years. However, some trees can live up to be 4000 years old. One of the oldest olive trees is on the island of Crete. It is believed to be over 4000 years old. The astonishing part is that the tree is still producing fruit!
The fruit is loaded with minerals. They are also rich in Vitamin A, B, E, and K. Almost 20% of the fruit is oil, and that shows in its use. While these fruits are used in the culinary world in multiple ways, olive oil is one of the largest uses. About 3.3 million metric tons of olive oil is produced every year.The botanical name of olive is Olea europaea. Generally, the fruit goes by the name olive, and the tree is simply known as the olive tree. The olive tree generally reaches a height of 26 to 49 feet with a round and well-branched crown.
Olea europaea is native to most of Africa, Southern Europe and Southern Asia. Various types of these trees are grown in all Mediterranean countries. It is also harvested in Australia, New Zealand, South America, South Africa, and the United States. However, it has become invasive in Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii, and southern California.