Arbequina olive trees produce meaty, black, antioxidant-rich fruit that you can use in a variety ways. According to the Olive Oil Times, 78% of all olive acres planted in California are Arbequina olives. A popular olive choice, you can plant these olive trees in your yard or keep them in a container, moving them inside during colder weather. In this article, we’ll explain how to care an olive tree, where they thrive, and when to harvest your olives.
I. Appearance and Characteristics
rbequina Olive Trees are native to Spain (specifically, the Catalonia region). They are now grown in many other parts of the world. In fact, almost 80% of the olive trees grown in California are Arbequina Olive Trees.
Arbequina Olive Trees are an attractive addition to any garden (even without the fruit!). They are smaller trees, reaching anywhere from 15 to 20 feet tall when planted in the ground (though regular pruning can keep them smaller).
Like citrus trees, Arbequina Olive Trees are evergreen. The tree’s pleasing shape makes it coveted as an ornamental, with gracefully dropping branches sporting shiny, silvery-green leaves and small, fragrant white blossoms that appear early in the spring. The glossy fruit starts out green, transitions to pale pink, then deep purple, then finally near-black. Like most olive varieties, the fruit of an Arbequina Olive Tree can be enjoyed at almost every stage of ripeness, depending on whether you prefer ripe or unripe olives.
II. How to Grow and Care
Sunlight
Arbequina olive trees thrive in full sunlight, when they receive at least six hours of direct, unfiltered sunlight per day. They can also tolerate partial shade, but this may reduce their overall crop yield.
Humidity
If you ever need to take your Arbequina olive tree inside, including into a garage for the winter, using a humidity tray is recommended. It will prevent the water from running on the floor, and can help keep the tree somewhat moist in the dry season.
Watering
Although Arbequina olive trees can tolerate drought, they should be watered regularly when first planted to help establish a deep, healthy root system. For the first few weeks after planting, water your Arbequina olive tree twice weekly.
After that, you can reduce watering to once every week to 10 days. You don’t want to water soil that is already moist. Test the level by inserting your index finger into the soil to at least 2 inches down. If the soil feels dry, you need to water.
Soil
These trees are able to tolerate a wide variety of soil, but they prefer well-draining, alkaline soil. But they can do well in a range of soil types, from sandy to loamy to clay.
To boost your crop, feed your tree twice a year, in spring and fall, with a slow-release, nitrogen-rich fertilizer.
Fertilizing
Since your Arbequina olive is in a small pot, and not the ground, it needs nutrients. A slow release (pellet based) fertilizer is perfect for this, and can be added sparingly every 1-2 months during the growing season.
Planting Instructions
Arbequina olive trees should be planted in fall or early spring. If planted outside, choose a location that receives full sunlight to partial shade and good soil drainage. The preference is for at least six hours of direct, unfiltered sunlight per day. They are self-pollinating and will yield fruit with just one plant, but planting a second will boost their yield. If you choose to plant more than one, make sure they are 8–12 feet apart from each other, measuring from their trunks.
Remove any weeds or turfgrass and clear away any debris from the site. Dig a hole that is roughly twice the width of the root ball. Backfill the hole with soil, then water gently to settle the roots.
Pruning
Arbequina olive trees do not need to be pruned, but they respond well to it. If you decide to prune, do so at the leaf nodes at the end of winter but before the tree has started flowering. Pruning can be good for increasing light penetration, opening up the canopy, and boosting your harvest. You should always prune dead or diseased branches.
Repotting
Repotting must be performed periodically on your bonsai, Arbequina olive included, when its root system has filled the pot. If you can clearly see the roots coming out of the bottom of the pot, it’s time to repot your bonsai.
Generally, this means every 2-3 years for a deciduous tree and every 4-5 years for an evergreen or tropical.
Repotting should be done in mid-summer, when the tree is at it’s least fragile state.
The Arbequina olive bonsai tree, along with all of its soil, should be removed from the pot. From there, you can trim away no more than 1/3rd of the root mass (1/4th is preferred.)
Then you can repot the tree in the same pot, or give it a newer / bigger pot to thrive in.
After repotting, your Arbequina olive bonsai should be thoroughly watered.
III. Uses and Benefits
The meaty fruit of the Arbequina Olive Tree can be used in many ways. Arbequina Olives can be enjoyed at almost any stage of ripeness and used as a topping for pizza or a garnish for cocktails, on cheese boards with fruits and nuts, in salads or sandwiches, and in all kinds of recipes. They can also be stuffed and served with humus as appetizers or hors d’oeuvres.
When milled from fully ripe (black) olives, Arbequina Olive Oil is aromatic and sweet with no harsh aftertaste and, due to its mild flavor, is ideal for roasting or sauteing vegetables or used to cook fish. The oil is good for baking or in making salad dressings, pesto, olive butter, or mayonnaise. It can also be used as a dipping oil for crusty bread.
IV. Harvesting and Storage
Arbequina olives are small, fleshy, and meaty, with small pits. Your tree will begin fruiting within 2–4 years. The olives ripen on the tree, and you can tell when they’re ready when they become glossy black. Arbequina olives do not all ripen at once. The earliest ones are ready to harvest in November. Arbequina olives have a high concentration of oil, which is fruity and aromatic, making them an excellent choice for creating your own olive oil.
