The olive is an evergreen tree about seven meters high, otherwise referred to as the olive. When the trunk of the plant reaches a height of one and a half meters, it divides into thick enough curving branches, which eventually form countless shoots. The bark of young olive trees is light gray, while the bark of adults is dark gray with streaks. The deciduous part is wide and dense.
The leaves of olives are specific in color: the upper part is characterized by a dark green color, and the lower part is gray. The leaf plate is narrow, dense, leathery. The shape is oval or lanceolate. The edges of each leaf are slightly raised, thereby reducing the surface area heated by the sun's rays and increasing the plant's tolerance to prolonged droughts. Once a year or two, the evergreen leaves change. At the base of the leaf plate is a kidney, which is capable of being in a state of sleep for a long time. But if there is a pruning of shoots or excessive damage to the leaves, it instantly wakes up and enters the phase of active growth.
The flowering period of the olive tree is from mid-spring (April) to early summer (June). The flowers are white, small in size, collected in racemose inflorescences, bisexual. The presence of male flowers with stamens is also possible. The most favorable for increasing the yield of trees is the presence of nearby olives, which can cross-pollinate.
Olive fruits are elongated, oval in shape with a large stone and medium juicy oily pulp. The color is deep purple, almost black, and the weight is approximately 14 grams. Fruits reach ripeness in the period from October to December.
Where does the olive plant grow?
The olive tree is common in areas where winters are warm enough and summers are dry and hot (subtropical climate, southeast Mediterranean). The plant is able to tolerate short current frosts normally within ten degrees. There is no wild-growing form of this plant. The culture grows in South America, Mexico, Transcaucasia, Central Asia, Crimea, Australia.
Good conditions for the growth of olives are considered to be loose soil with low acidity and sufficiently drained, as well as bright sunlight. The olive tree does not feel a great need for abundant watering and high humidity of the environment, but leaf dropping will be a protective reaction to severe drought. If, shortly before the beginning of flowering (a month and a half), the plant needs moisture and microelements, then the yield will decrease due to the small number of formed buds. But cross-pollination will help to correct the situation with the crop.
Areas of application of the olive tree
Allocate about 60 types of olive trees in botany. But only the fruits of the European olive give about 30 kilograms of harvest per season and are of economic importance.
Olives are highly valued as a food product. They are used to prepare oil, which contains a very large amount of vitamins and minerals vital for the human body.This oil is widely used in cooking, medicine and cosmetology. Among the countries that actively produce and sell olive oil, Greece, France, Spain, Italy and Tunisia have proven themselves well on the market.
Unripe fruits are green in color, they are used in various canning options. Mature ones are colored black and complement a variety of dishes.
The yellow-green wood of the olive tree is quite sturdy and heavy. It is used in the manufacture of furniture due to the fact that it is easily subject to various types of processing.
All components of the olive are used in alternative medicine as raw materials for medicinal decoctions and tinctures. The flowers and leaves of this plant are harvested and then dried in the sun or in a well-ventilated area. The fruits are harvested as they ripen, more often in the fall.
The olive tree can be an excellent ornamental plant, decorating your home or garden with its presence. A powerful root system is used to protect the land from landslides and erosion by planting olives in the required areas.
In ancient Egypt, the olive was cultivated about six thousand years ago, it was considered a sacred plant that was sent by the gods. Olive vine wreaths adorned the heads of the Olympic champions.
Also, the branch of the olive tree is a symbol of truce and peace. Islam reveres the olive as the tree of life.
The average growth time of an olive is about five hundred years. The longest life span of this tree is two and a half thousand years. Today in Montenegro a tree grows two thousand years old.
