How to grow Olive in Australia
The olive is a tough, long-lived evergreen tree with silvery leaves that loves hot, dry summers and cool winters, which makes it ideal for Adelaide, Perth and much of southern Australia. Freshly picked olives are bitter and must be cured before eating. In parts of South Australia wild olives are a declared weed, so pick your crop and remove seedlings.
📖 Our full guide: How to Grow Olives in Australia
At a glance
When to plant by region
| Region | When to plant | Regional note |
|---|---|---|
| South East Queensland | April to August | |
| Northern Rivers NSW | April to August | |
| Sydney & Coastal NSW | April to August | |
| Melbourne & Victoria | March to May, August and September | Plant Mar to May or Aug to Sep so roots settle in the mild wet months before summer. Hardy in Melbourne; young trees in frosty outer suburbs like frost cloth for the first winters. |
| Adelaide & SA | April to August | |
| Perth & WA | April to August | |
| Tasmania | September to November | Plant Sep to Nov. Trees are hardy but crops are light in cool summers. Frantoio types do best. |
| Canberra & ACT | March to May, August and September | Plant Mar to May or Aug to Sep. Established olives take Canberra frost, but wrap or cover young trees for their first few winters and pick a sheltered site, as late frost damages blossom. |
| North Queensland | Not suited | Not suited. Olives need cool winters to flower and set fruit. The NQ coast never gets them. |
| Darwin & Top End | Not suited | Not viable. Olives need cool winters to set fruit. Darwin is the opposite climate. |
Where to plant
Plant olives in full sun in well-drained soil. They will not grow well in heavy clay or waterlogged soil, so plant on a mound if drainage is poor. Olives thrive in hot, dry summers and need cool winters to flower and set fruit. Established trees are very drought tolerant, and mature trees can go several weeks without water.
Birds and animals spread olive seed. Wild, non-cultivated olives are declared plants in South Australia, and African olive is a declared weed in New South Wales, South Australia and Western Australia, where it forms dense thickets in bushland. If you live near bushland, pick or collect your crop and pull out seedlings.
- Adelaide, Perth and inland New South Wales and Victoria: ideal olive country.
- Melbourne and Canberra: plant in autumn or late winter to early spring. Established trees take frost, but cover young trees for their first few winters and avoid sites where late frost hits the blossom.
- Sydney, South East Queensland and the Northern Rivers: trees grow well but humid summers and mild winters give lighter, less reliable crops, and fungal leaf diseases are more common.
- Hobart: trees are hardy but crops are light after cool summers. Plant in spring.
- North Queensland and Darwin: not suited. Olives need cool winters to set fruit.
Choosing a variety
| Variety | Notes |
|---|---|
| Kalamata | The classic Greek table olive, purple-black with a rich flavour. Best with a pollinating variety nearby |
| Manzanilla | A medium green table olive, good for curing and stuffing; crops on its own |
| Frantoio | An Italian oil variety with small fruit; vigorous, and benefits from a pollinator. Does best of the three in cool areas |
Buy a named, grafted or cutting-grown tree from a reputable nursery. Some varieties crop better with a second variety nearby for cross-pollination, so check the label.
How to plant
- Plant in autumn or late winter to early spring, in a sunny, well-drained spot.
- Dig a hole wider than the root ball. Olives do not need compost added to the planting hole.
- Plant with the top of the root ball slightly above the surrounding soil, so water drains away from the trunk.
- Stake the young tree, water in well, and make a shallow ring or furrow around the drip line so water soaks down to the roots.
- Water young trees regularly until established.
Watering and feeding
Water young trees regularly, and all trees during flowering and while fruit is forming in spring and summer, for a better crop. Mature trees, older than about five years, prefer to dry out between deep soakings. Never keep the soil wet.
Olives need little feeding. If your soil is poor, apply an organic fertiliser in late winter or spring at the packet rate. Potted olives benefit from a balanced liquid feed every month in the growing season.
Pruning and care through the year
- Prune in late winter or early spring, after harvest. Remove dead, diseased and crossing branches and open the centre to let in light and air, which improves fruiting and reduces disease.
- Keep the tree low enough to harvest easily. Olives respond well to pruning.
- Thin a very heavy crop in an 'on' year to help reduce alternate heavy and light cropping.
- Check the undersides of leaves in spring for olive lace bug.
Harvesting
Olives ripen in autumn. Pick them green for a sharper, firmer cured olive, or leave them to turn purple-black for a milder, richer one. Strip them by hand or comb the branches onto a sheet.
Fresh olives are very bitter and must be cured before eating. Green olives are usually soaked in salted water, changed regularly, for days to weeks to draw out bitterness, then stored in brine. Black olives can also be dry cured in salt for several weeks, then kept in oil or brine.
Growing in pots
Olives grow well in large pots at least 50 cm wide, in a gritty, free-draining potting mix, in full sun. Raise the pot on feet so it drains freely, keep the mix lightly moist in the growing season and feed monthly. Tip prune each year to control size.
Companion planting
Olives suit a dry, sunny Mediterranean-style planting with herbs that share the same lean, well-drained conditions.
Good companions
- Lavender Loves the same hot sun and dry, well-drained soil, and its flowers bring bees.
- Rosemary A drought-hardy Mediterranean herb that suits the edge of an olive bed.
- Thyme A low, dry-loving herb that makes a fragrant groundcover under the outer canopy.
- Nasturtium A flowering groundcover for the sunny edge of the bed; it needs a little more water than the olive.
Pests and diseases
Olives are tough, but sap-sucking insects and fungal leaf diseases can reduce crops, especially in humid areas.
Pests to watch for
- Olive lace bug Tiny flat bugs under the leaves, with green to rust stippling and yellow spots on the upper surface, black tar spots and leaf drop. Heavy infestations can kill young trees.
- Black scale Dark, domed bumps on twigs with sticky honeydew and black sooty mould.
- Fruit fly Small sting marks and soft, rotting fruit in warm areas. Pick on time and clear fallen fruit.
Diseases to watch for
- Peacock spot Dark, round spots on leaves, sometimes with a yellow halo, followed by leaf drop, mostly in cool, wet weather.
- Anthracnose Rotting, shrivelled fruit with sunken spots in warm, wet weather near harvest.
- Verticillium wilt Sudden wilting and dieback of whole branches in spring or summer. The fungus lives in the soil for years; prune out dead wood and avoid replanting olives in the same spot.
Common questions
Can you eat olives straight off the tree?
No. Fresh olives are extremely bitter. They need curing in salted water, brine or dry salt for days to weeks before they are good to eat.
How long does an olive tree take to fruit?
Usually several years after planting. Olive trees often crop heavily one year and lightly the next.
Do I need two olive trees for fruit?
Some varieties, such as Manzanilla, crop on their own. Others, such as Kalamata and Frantoio, crop better with another variety nearby for cross-pollination.
Are olives a weed in Australia?
They can be. Wild, non-cultivated olives are declared plants in South Australia, and African olive is a declared weed in New South Wales, South Australia and Western Australia. Pick your crop and remove seedlings, especially near bushland.
Can I grow an olive tree in a pot?
Yes. Use a pot at least 50 cm wide with gritty, free-draining mix, in full sun, and raise it on pot feet so excess water drains away.
What are the spots on my olive leaves?
Round dark spots with yellow halos are usually peacock spot, a fungal disease of cool, wet weather. Rusty stippling and yellow spots with black specks underneath are more likely olive lace bug.
When should I prune my olive tree?
In late winter or early spring, after harvest. Open the centre for light and air, remove dead and crossing branches, and keep the tree low enough to pick.
Sources we checked: Weeds Australia (Centre for Invasive Species Solutions): Olive, African olive; Weeds of Australia (Lucid): Olea europaea; Agriculture Victoria: Olive lace bug; Local Food Connect (Robin Gale-Baker): Olives and oranges; RHS: How to grow olives.