Manzanillo Olive Tree Live Plant – 2 Feet Tall – Ships in 6″ Pot – Outdoor

Overview

Bring the taste of the Mediterranean to your home with a Manzanillo olive tree. This beautiful and productive live olive plant is a renowned variety, celebrated worldwide for its exceptional table olives and high-quality olive oil. Originating from Spain, the Manzanillo olive (Olea europaea ‘Manzanillo’) is a vigorous grower, making it a popular choice for both home gardeners and commercial growers alike. Our 2 foot olive tree arrives healthy and ready to thrive in your garden, shipped securely in a 6-inch pot. Whether you’re an experienced horticulturist or a budding gardener, this olive tree offers a rewarding growing experience and the promise of delicious, homegrown olives.

The Manzanillo variety is highly adaptable and can be grown in various climates, though it prefers warm, sunny conditions. It’s known for its relatively early fruiting and consistent yields, providing lovely green to black olives that are perfect for curing or pressing into oil. This edible olive tree not only offers culinary delights but also adds significant ornamental value with its attractive silvery-green foliage, making it a focal point in any landscape or patio.

Key Benefits

Investing in a Manzanillo olive tree brings a host of benefits, from its aesthetic appeal to its delicious yields. This versatile plant is a fantastic addition to any garden or patio.

• Exceptional Fruit Quality: The Manzanillo olive is one of the most popular varieties for both eating (table olives) and olive oil production. Its medium-sized, round fruits are flavorful and have a good flesh-to-pit ratio, making them ideal for curing at home.
• Ornamental Value: With its slender, evergreen leaves that shimmer with a silvery-green hue, the live olive plant provides year-round beauty. It can be grown as a specimen tree, part of a Mediterranean-themed garden, or even as a potted plant on a patio.
• Drought Tolerance: Once established, olive trees are remarkably drought-tolerant, making them a sustainable choice for water-wise gardening in appropriate climates.
• Long Lifespan: Olive trees are known for their longevity, often living for hundreds of years. Planting a Manzanillo olive tree is an investment that can be enjoyed for generations.
• Cultural Significance: Olives hold deep historical and cultural significance, symbolizing peace, wisdom, and abundance. Growing your own connects you to this rich heritage.
• Low Maintenance (Once Established): While young trees require regular care, established Manzanillo olive trees are relatively low maintenance, needing minimal pruning and feeding.
• Potential for Olive Oil Production: For those interested in pressing their own oil, this variety is an excellent choice, yielding a high-quality, flavorful extra virgin olive oil.

Plant Care & Growing Tips

Caring for your Manzanillo olive tree is straightforward, especially once it’s established. These resilient trees thrive in conditions that mimic their Mediterranean origins. For optimal growth and fruit production, understanding their specific needs is crucial. This live olive plant prefers a location that receives abundant sunlight, ideally full sun for at least 6-8 hours daily. If you are growing it in a colder climate and bringing it indoors for winter, place it near a south-facing window or under grow lights to ensure it gets adequate light.

When it comes to watering, young olive trees need consistent moisture to establish their root system. Water deeply and regularly, allowing the top few inches of soil to dry out between waterings. Overwatering can be detrimental, leading to root rot, so ensure excellent drainage. As the tree matures, its water needs decrease, and it becomes more tolerant of dry spells. The best soil type for a Manzanillo olive tree is well-draining, sandy loam with a pH between 6.5 and 8.0. If planting in a pot, use a high-quality potting mix designed for trees or succulents, and ensure the pot has drainage holes. Fertilize your olive tree for oil or fruit production with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer in early spring, and again in mid-summer if needed, following product instructions to avoid over-fertilization.

Manzanillo olive trees are generally hardy in USDA zones 8-10, though some varieties can tolerate zone 7 with protection. They are tolerant of heat and dry conditions but require protection from severe frosts. Pruning is essential for maintaining the tree’s shape, promoting air circulation, and encouraging fruit production. Prune in late winter or early spring to remove dead or diseased branches and to open up the canopy. Watch out for common pests like olive fruit flies or scale insects, and address them promptly with organic or chemical treatments as appropriate. With proper care, your edible olive tree will flourish and provide you with years of beautiful foliage and delicious fruit.

Size & Details

This Manzanillo olive tree stands approximately 2 feet tall from the base of the pot to the top of the foliage, making it a manageable size for planting directly into your garden or for continued growth in a larger container. It ships in a durable 6-inch nursery pot, ensuring the root system is protected and ready for transplanting upon arrival. The exact height may vary slightly due to natural plant growth and seasonal pruning.

Manzanillo olives are known for their moderate growth rate, typically adding 1-2 feet of height per year under ideal conditions. While this young tree may or may not have fruits at the time of shipping, established trees can begin fruiting within 3-5 years from planting. The tree will arrive with healthy foliage, and its compact size makes it easy to handle and integrate into your landscape. It’s a fantastic choice for those looking for a productive and attractive live olive plant that will mature into a beautiful, fruit-bearing specimen.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: How big does this Manzanillo olive tree get? A: This 2 foot olive tree will grow to a mature height of 20-30 feet in the ground, though it can be kept smaller with regular pruning or by growing it in a container. Its spread can also reach 15-20 feet.
• Q: Is this an indoor or outdoor plant? A: The Manzanillo olive tree is primarily an outdoor plant, thriving in full sun. In colder climates (USDA zones below 8), it can be grown in a large pot and brought indoors during winter to protect it from freezing temperatures.
• Q: How much sunlight does it need? A: For best growth and fruit production, your live olive plant requires at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day. It performs best in full sun exposure.
• Q: Is this plant easy to care for? A: Once established, Manzanillo olive trees are relatively low maintenance and drought-tolerant. Young trees require more consistent watering and care to establish a strong root system. They are a good choice for intermediate gardeners.
• Q: What condition will it arrive in? A: Your Manzanillo olive tree will arrive as a healthy, live plant, securely packaged in its 6-inch nursery pot, ready for planting or repotting. We take great care to ensure it reaches you in excellent condition.
• Q: Can I use the olives for eating and oil? A: Yes, the Manzanillo variety is highly regarded as a dual-purpose olive. The fruits from this edible olive tree are excellent for both curing as table olives and for pressing to make high-quality olive oil.
• Q: When is the best time to plant a Manzanillo olive tree? A: The best time to plant your live olive plant is in the spring or early fall, allowing it enough time to establish its root system before extreme summer heat or winter cold sets in.
• Q: What USDA zones is this Manzanillo olive tree suitable for? A: This Manzanillo olive tree is typically suitable for USDA Hardiness Zones 8-10. In zone 7, it may require winter protection.
• Q: How often should I water my olive tree? A: For young trees, water regularly, allowing the top 2-3 inches of soil to dry out between waterings. Established trees are more drought-tolerant and can be watered less frequently, especially during cooler months.
• Q: Is this a self-pollinating olive tree? A: Manzanillo olive trees are considered partially self-fertile, meaning they can produce fruit with their own pollen. However, planting another olive variety nearby can often increase fruit production due to cross-pollination.