The Many Healthy Wonders of Owning an Olive Tree
Wednesday, September 28th, 2011
If you’ve wondered about growing your own Olive Tree, you’re picking a tree that is not only beautiful and relatively easy to grow, but one that has a myriad number of health benefits.
One of the greatest benefits of owning your own Olive Tree is being able to enjoythe beauty that its gorgeous profilebrings to the landscape. Olive Trees have an exotic, twisting and winding beauty that has been capturing the imagination of writers and artists for centuries. In fact, the Ancient Romans and Greeks referred them as the “tree of life.”Their naturally gnarled trunks and twisting canopies add a unique and distinctive look to any environment.
In springtime, their branches explode under the weight of hundreds of tiny clusters of yellow-tinged blossoms that fill the air with a heady, fragrant scent. Their dark, evergreen leaves hang around all year, lining the branches that long ago became the worldwide symbol for peace. Olive Trees can have single trunks, or be cultivated to have double trunks. The double trunked variants tend to grow wider and with larger canopies, bringing an even more exotic look to your garden. Many online nurseries have Olive Trees for sale.
The health benefits of olives and olive oil are well documented and undisputed thanks to its high anti-oxidant values. Olive oil’s positive effects on issue like high cholesterol, heart disease and constipation make it one of the most recommended oil’s for the regulation and maintenance of a healthy body. The renowned Mayo Clinic asserts that the oil released from olives also has a positive effect on how the body regulates insulin levels and blood clotting.
The oil has also been used in countless hair and skin treatments for thousands of years, making it vital for maintaining a healthy and beautiful outside as well as inside. It has even been used to soothe diaper rash and relieve toothaches!
Olives are actually considered a fruit and not a vegetable. When you plant your tree, you can expect to have olives within the first 3 years. Olive Trees bear their fruit on one year old shoots, so prune your trees in spring to encourage new growth. Olive Trees will not bear fruit twice on the same branch, so cutting this old wood from the branches each spring is important. Depending on the varietal, you can get green or black olives from your tree.
Growing your own Olive Tree means that you will have complete control over how it’s grown, and how its fruit is harvested. If you want guaranteed organic, pure, first cold-pressed olive oil, you can grow it yourself. Making virgin oil isn’t terribly difficult, and you can learn more about it here.
Olive Trees are truly low maintenance, and there isn’t much involved in growing and cultivating one. Unlike most vegetation of Mediterranean origin, the Olive Tree can be cultivated in many different regions and growing zones. It thrives in climateswith long growing seasons, and grows effortlessly in areas with well-drained soil and plenty of sunshine.
Once established, this beautiful tree is extraordinarily drought tolerant, and seems to effortlessly resist common horticultural issues like pests and disease. Mature trees can withstand winter temperatures as low as 20 degrees. The Olive Tree can even survive without being fertilized, although it responds wonderfully if you do feed it. Not that you’ll be around to see it, but a single olive tree can live a thousand years or more.
The Olive Tree is so versatile and tolerant that even if you don’t have the garden space, you can grow it in a pot with almost little effort. As long as you give it basic care, your Olive Tree will not only look beautiful, but it will bless you with its countless benefits and delicious olives.


