Californian Queen Olive

Californian Queen Olive (Olea europaea 'Californian Queen') is the olive to plant when you want the fruit as well as the silver grey canopy. It reaches about 5m tall and 3.5m wide left alone, and carries unusually large table olives rather than the small oil types. Clip it and it holds at 3m to 4m, which is why the same tree works as a feature, a hedge or a driveway avenue.

Why you'll love it

• Large fruit worth curing. This is a table olive selection, so the crop is big enough to brine properly rather than only press for oil.
• It handles hard sites. Frost hardy, heat tolerant, drought tolerant and content in poor soil once established, which is a rare combination.
• Silver foliage all year. The grey green canopy holds through winter and reads as colour against brick and render.
• Pet friendly with well behaved roots. Not toxic to cats or dogs, and non-invasive roots let you plant near a driveway or paving.

Where it works best

Hedging and screening. Plant 2m apart in a single row for a dense screen, then trim twice a year to hold it at head height or above.

Driveways and avenues. Matched pairs or a run down a drive suit its upright habit. Space 4m to 5m apart to keep each tree distinct.

Coastal and dry gardens. Salt tolerance suits coastal blocks, and the drought tolerance makes it sensible where summer water is restricted.

Growing Californian Queen Olive in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun, and plenty of it: shade cuts both the crop and the foliage colour. It belongs in Mediterranean, warm temperate, cool temperate and arid to semi-arid gardens, so Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne and inland districts all suit it. Humid tropical and wet subtropical gardens are the weak point.

Soil. Drainage matters far more than fertility. It grows in poor, rocky and sandy ground, but wet feet will kill it, so mound the planting hole on clay.

Water and feed. Water deeply once or twice a week through the first two summers, then only in long dry spells. A complete fertiliser in early spring is enough, and overfeeding pushes leaf at the expense of fruit.

Pruning. Prune in late winter before flowering, opening the centre so light reaches the inner branches, since fruit forms on last season's wood. For a hedge, shear after harvest and again in late summer.

What to expect when it arrives

Two sizes are grown: 200mm in packs of six, and advanced 90L specimens. The 200mm plants are the value choice for a hedge or an avenue and establish quickly, though fruit is a few years away. A 90L tree arrives with a formed trunk and canopy and crops much sooner.

Plants are packed upright and delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost. Expect little visible movement for a month, then steady growth once the roots take, backed by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Start with our complete guide to growing olive trees.
• Compare varieties in the olive tree collection.
• Planting a run: browse trees for driveways and avenues.
• See what else you can harvest from our edible plants.

Common questions

How long until it fruits?

An advanced 90L tree can set a light crop within a season or two. Young 200mm plants generally take three to four years, and every tree crops better with a second olive nearby.

Can I keep it as a hedge?

Yes. Plant 2m apart and trim twice a year to hold it at 3m to 4m. Clipping does reduce the crop, so choose whether you want a hedge or a harvest.

Do I need to worry about it spreading?

In parts of South Australia and Victoria olives self seed readily from dropped fruit. Pick up windfalls rather than leaving them under the tree, and the problem does not start.

Will it grow in Brisbane?

It will survive, but humid subtropical summers work against it. Fruit set is unreliable and foliage problems are more common than in a dry climate.

Western Australia: this plant is listed as an environmental weed in WA, where it escapes from gardens into bushland. We do not recommend it for WA gardens. Please choose a local alternative.