Swan Hill Olive

The Swan Hill Olive (Olea europaea 'Swan Hill') gives you everything people love about olive trees, the silver foliage, the gnarled Mediterranean character, the near indestructible constitution, without the part many gardeners quietly dread: fruit. Swan Hill is a genuinely fruitless selection, effectively non flowering, so there are no staining drops on paving, no ferals in the bush and almost no pollen. It grows to about 6m by 5m, is pet friendly, and thrives on neglect.

Why you'll love it

• Olive looks, zero mess. No fruit means no purple stains on the driveway, no slip hazard by the pool and no wasps working fallen olives.
• Allergy considerate. Producing almost no pollen, it is the olive for courtyards, schools and entertaining areas.
• Nearly indestructible. Frost hardy, drought tolerant, heat proof, salt tolerant and content in poor soil once established.
• Non invasive roots and pet friendly. Safe beside paths, pools and plumbing, and no worries with cats or dogs.
• Instant Mediterranean style. The silver canopy and thickening trunk read as established elegance within a few seasons.

Where it works best

Feature planting. A single Swan Hill in a gravel bed, lawn circle or large pot delivers the designer olive look with none of the cleanup.

Driveways and avenues. Plant 4m apart for a silver avenue that never drops fruit on the cars beneath it.

Poolside and courtyards. The exact positions where fruiting olives cause grief are where Swan Hill shines.

Coastal gardens. Salt wind styles it rather than stressing it.

Growing the Swan Hill Olive in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun. It performs in Mediterranean, warm temperate, subtropical and dry inland climates, and takes hard frost once established.

Soil. Anything that drains, including stony, sandy and alkaline soils. Mound plant on heavy clay and it will forgive that too.

Water and feed. Deep occasional soaks for the first two summers, then rainfall suffices in most districts. Feed lightly in spring if you want faster growth; otherwise leave it alone.

Pruning. Optional and easy. Shape in late winter for a lifted canopy or clipped head; it tolerates hard pruning and even hedging.

What to expect when it arrives

Swan Hill ships as 400mm trees and advanced 45L, 75L and 100L stock (75L is grown to order and shows as backorder; we confirm timing with you first). The advanced sizes arrive with the trunk character people buy olives for. Delivery is Australia wide, from $29.95, and advanced and large stock is freighted at cost. Expect quick establishment and silvery new growth in the first warm months. Every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Olive tree care guide
• Browse all olive trees
• Trees with non invasive roots

Common questions

Is it really fruitless?

Yes. Swan Hill was selected precisely because its flowers abort before setting, so seasons pass without a single olive. The odd stray fruit after a freak season is rare enough to be a curiosity.

Why choose it over a fruiting olive?

Position. Over paving, pools, decks and parked cars, fruit drop is a maintenance sentence. Swan Hill puts the olive look exactly where fruiting varieties cause problems. If you want a harvest, plant an Arbequina or Frantoio instead, somewhere kinder.

How fast does it grow?

Moderate, around 30cm to 50cm a year with establishment water, slowing as it matures into that dense silver head.

Does it need a pollinator or produce much pollen?

Neither. It needs no partner because it sets nothing, and its minimal flowering makes it one of the lowest pollen trees you can choose, a real consideration for allergy households.