Olive Tree / Olea Europaea – 40-50cm girth

Description

The olive tree is hugely popular here at Caragh Nurseries — and yet it still carries that slightly exotic quality that makes it feel like something brought home from a warmer, slower world. Perhaps it is the stunning silver-grey foliage catching the Irish light in a way our darker greens never quite do. Perhaps it is the gnarled, ancient-looking bark that tells of decades of patient growing. Either way, a mature olive tree creates an immediate focal point — a sense that a garden has a story.

At 40–50cm girth, this is a substantial, characterful specimen. Standing approximately 160–180cm overall with a lovely full foliage head, it arrives ready to anchor a space — no waiting, no wondering. Just an immediate, undeniable presence.

Every olive tree we grow is genuinely individual. That is why we photograph and present each tree separately — so you can choose the exact tree that speaks to you, rather than a generic description of what you might receive. What you see is what arrives at your door.

Quick Facts:

Common Name: Olive Tree
Botanical Name: Olea europaea
Girth: 40–50cm
Overall Height: Approximately 160–180cm
Form: Full foliage head
Foliage: Silvery grey-green — narrow, reflective leaves
Bark: Characterful — develops with age
Flowers: Small, creamy-white — summer
Fruit: Green ripening to black — in warm, sheltered positions
Growth Rate: Slow to moderate
Sun: Full sun — essential
Soil: Free-draining; tolerates poor, dry soils once established
Hardiness: RHS H4 (hardy to approximately -10°C)
Drought Tolerant: Yes — once established
Best For: Specimen planting, containers, Mediterranean and contemporary schemes, courtyard focal points
Note: Every tree is individual — photographed and listed separately so you can choose your exact specimen

Caragh Garden Notebook

Planting: Choose the sunniest, most sheltered position available — a south or west-facing aspect with the benefit of a warm wall is ideal in Ireland and the UK. Plant in free-draining soil enriched with grit if your ground is heavy or prone to waterlogging. At this girth, the root ball is substantial — prepare a generous planting hole and firm in well, staking if necessary in an exposed position. Olive trees will not tolerate cold, wet ground through winter; drainage at planting is essential.

Containers: A 90L pot gives this specimen room to perform beautifully above ground and settle well below it. Ensure the container has excellent drainage — use a loam-based compost mixed with additional horticultural grit. Containers have the added advantage of allowing you to move the tree to a sheltered position during prolonged hard frost.

Watering: Water generously through the first growing season to support establishment. Once settled, olive trees become remarkably self-sufficient in the ground. Container-grown specimens need regular monitoring through summer — check the top few centimetres of compost and water when dry, but never allow the roots to sit in waterlogged compost.

Feeding: A balanced slow-release fertiliser in spring supports healthy growth. Container-grown trees benefit from a liquid feed through the growing season — switching to a high-potassium feed from midsummer encourages fruiting in warmer years.

Pruning: Minimal intervention is needed to maintain the natural form. Remove any dead, crossing, or overcrowded growth in late spring once frost risk has passed. The character of an olive tree lives in its structure — the gnarled branching, the loose natural head — and this is best preserved by restraint rather than heavy pruning.

Winter Care: Hardy to approximately -10°C in free-draining soil. In containers, move to a sheltered position — against a warm wall, into a cool greenhouse, or a frost-free porch — during prolonged hard frost. Wrapping the pot in fleece through the coldest spells will protect the root zone.

A Note on Individuality: Olive trees at this size are genuinely one-of-a-kind. The girth, the bark character, the way the canopy sits — all of it is unique to each tree. We photograph and list each specimen individually so you can see exactly what you are buying. If you would like to visit us at the nursery to choose in person, our team would be delighted to help you find your tree.

Styling Notes: A 40–50cm girth olive at 160–180cm is an arrival — plant it where it will be seen. Flanking an entrance in a pair of large IronOre Napoli or Sydney Aluminium planters creates something genuinely memorable. Against a white rendered wall with lavender, Cistus, and ornamental grasses at its feet, it belongs to the Mediterranean. In a contemporary courtyard alongside the Atlas Gold Planter and MAT Granite Slabs, it bridges the ancient and the modern beautifully.