Olea Europaea / Olive trees – 20-30cm girth

Description

Not every garden has room for a four-metre specimen. Not every terrace suits a 90-litre pot. But the desire for an olive tree — that silver-grey shimmer, that quietly exotic character, that sense of the Mediterranean somehow growing in an Irish garden — that is entirely universal.

This is the olive tree that fits more spaces and more lives than any other in our collection. At approximately 140cm overall, with a girth of 20–30cm and a clear stem of 50–60cm already developing that wonderful, characterful texture that olive bark is known for, this is a genuine specimen — not a young plant working towards something, but a tree with real presence, real personality, and real appeal. In a 35-litre pot, it is perfectly proportioned for a smaller terrace, a balcony, a bright indoor space, or as the beginning of a larger outdoor scheme that grows with you over time.

The same tree. A more accessible scale.

Quick Facts:

Common Name: Olive Tree
Botanical Name: Olea europaea
Girth: 20–30cm
Clear Stem Height: 50–60cm
Overall Height: Approximately 140cm
Form: Single stem — natural foliage head
Foliage: Silvery grey-green — narrow, light-catching leaves
Flowers: Small, creamy-white — summer
Fruit: Possible in warm, sheltered outdoor positions
Growth Rate: Slow to moderate
Sun: Full sun — essential outdoors; maximum light indoors
Soil: Free-draining; tolerates dry conditions once established
Hardiness: RHS H4 (hardy to approximately -10°C)
Drought Tolerant: Yes — once established outdoors
Indoor Use: Yes — with care and maximum light
Origin: Italy — certified Xylella-free
Certification: Pre-export tested and certified free from Xylella fastidiosa
Best For: Smaller terraces, balconies, bright interiors, courtyards, starter olive collections

Caragh Garden Notebook

Planting Outdoors: A sunny, sheltered position is essential — south or west-facing is ideal. In a bed or border, plant in free-draining soil with added grit if necessary. In a container, use a loam-based compost mixed with horticultural grit, ensuring excellent drainage. The 35L pot this tree arrives in suits its current size well; pot on into a larger container as it develops and the root system fills out.

In a Pot: This size is particularly well-suited to container life — proportioned beautifully for smaller terraces, balconies, and courtyards where a larger specimen would overwhelm the space. It can be potted on progressively as it grows, moving with you from a first flat with a balcony to a larger terrace as life expands. Choose a pot with good visual weight and excellent drainage — this tree rewards a well-chosen home.

As an Interior Plant: Of all the olive sizes in our range, this one transitions most naturally to indoor living — its scale suits a bright living space, a sunlit hallway, or a well-lit conservatory without dominating the room. Position in the brightest available spot, rotate regularly for even growth, water carefully, and feed monthly through spring and summer. Move outdoors whenever the season and weather allow — it will always reward a spell of fresh air and natural light.

Watering: Water consistently through the first season outdoors. Container and indoor specimens need more regular attention — check soil moisture frequently and water when the top few centimetres are dry. Always ensure the pot is not sitting in standing water; olive roots are highly sensitive to waterlogging.

Feeding: Balanced slow-release fertiliser in spring. Monthly liquid feed through the growing season for container and indoor specimens, switching to a high-potassium formula from midsummer for outdoor trees in a warm, sunny position.

Pruning: Minimal. Remove any shoots developing along the clear stem and keep the foliage head lightly shaped if preferred. The natural form is always the most beautiful — prune with restraint.

Winter Care: Hardy to -10°C. Move container-grown trees to a sheltered position during prolonged hard frost; protect the root zone with fleece. Indoor trees should overwinter in a cool, bright, frost-free space — away from central heating and dry, warm air.

Xylella Certification: All our olive trees are tested and certified free from Xylella fastidiosa prior to leaving Italy.

Growing Into Something: There is something deeply satisfying about buying an olive tree at this stage and watching it develop over the years — the girth thickening slowly, the bark taking on more character, the canopy filling and maturing. This is a long-term relationship. Plant it well, care for it consistently, and in ten years’ time you will have a tree of considerable beauty and character — one that has grown entirely in your garden, in your care.

Styling Notes: The 20–30cm girth olive works beautifully in the Acer Fibreglass Planter or a well-proportioned Sydney Aluminium Planter — the clean lines of the container letting the tree’s natural character take centre stage. Indoors, against a white wall with clean-lined furniture and a few well-chosen books, it brings the kind of calm, botanical quality that no artificial plant can replicate. Outside, it is the beginning of a Mediterranean corner that will only improve with time.