Keeping the olive branch growing strong

Steve Kawaratani

“I hold the olive in my hand. My words are as full of peace as

matter.”

-- WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

“The last time I gave a urine sample it had an olive in it.”

-- RODNEY DANGERFIELD

From cottage gardens to mansion gardens, the olive is symbolic of

Laguna’s gracious climate. However, the beauty of its gnarled trunks

and willow-like foliage has been appreciated for centuries. The olive

was introduced to Mexico by Spaniards and later on to California for

its fruit and oil.

The olive tree is remarkably long-lived. Some of the original

trees planted by missionaries are still in existence. Under favorable

conditions and decades of growth, it may attain an ultimate height of

25 to 35 feet and become nearly as wide. Large old olive trees are

popular landscape trees due to the near certainty of their survival

in transplanting.

The olive has a wide range of soil adaptation, but requires good

drainage. It has no special cultural requirements, but is happiest

when growing in deep, rich soil. Remarkably resistant to the heat and

drought of the desert, olives also grow well in coastal areas like

Laguna.

In a landscape, olives require thoughtful pruning. The removal of

fruiting branches will reduce or eliminate the fruit, which may stain

paving and damage under plantings if not removed. In addition,

spraying hormones when flowers first appear may reduce the fruit.

The flowers of fruiting varieties are small and white and are

borne only on growth of the previous season. The fruit ranges from

apple- to football-shaped and when fully ripe, the color is

reddish-purple to black.

Without processing, the olives are inedible because of a bitter

substance contained in the flesh, which offers a most unpleasant

taste. This substance is removed in processing or pickling

treatments.

Because of late blooming and the amount of heat necessary to

mature, the fruit requires a long, hot, growing season. It does not

ripen until late fall in the hottest regions (ripening season extends

from October to December 15). Commercial culture is restricted to the

warm interior valleys of California.

There are several pickling processes, the principal being the

California ripe-olive process, which turns out a uniform dark-colored

fruit with a rich, nutty flavor and high food value. Successions of

lye treatments and washings remove the bitterness, and aeration

provides uniform dark color.

The olives in commercial groves may also be grown in a garden.

“Sevillano” is originally from Spain and its oak-like form may reach

35 feet in height.

“Ascolana” was introduced from Italy, grows to 30 feet and

produces a large fruit. Both varieties are sometimes called Queen

olives. “Swan Hill” is truly fruitless and reaches 30 feet. “Little

Ollie” is a large shrub up to 12 feet, excellent as a hedge or screen

and nearly fruitless.

Black Scale is the major pest that afflicts olives in Laguna.

Spraying horticultural oils, like Ultra Fine, during the summer, can

usually control the insect. Knots or swelling may appear as the

result of a bacterial disease. Although not usually fatal to the

tree, these knots should be removed.

I have always found that an olive or 20 enhances a beverage or

meal. It was with great delight, that I discovered that Catharine’s

parents served their own homegrown olives during the holidays.

Fortunately, there aren’t too many more shopping days before enjoying

Kay’s olives again. See you next time.

* STEVE KAWARATANI is the owner of Landscapes by Laguna Nursery,

1540 S. Coast Highway in Laguna Beach. He is married to local writer,

Catharine Cooper, and has three cats. He can be reached at (949)

497-2438, or e-mail to [email protected].