This evergreen shrub , grown in hot, arid climates, is native to the Middle East and has had an enormous impact on all the major civilizations of the Mediterranean.
Specific morphological adaptations have allowed it to survive over the centuries in environments with prolonged periods of drought and high levels of temperature and sunlight.
It has very extensive roots, a trunk with small xylem vessels and small, elliptical leaves, thickened and cuticularized with small, suitably shielded stomata.
How many years does an olive tree last? Potentially thousands, but not in the above-ground portion: it's the stump (root base) that lasts the longest.
Its longevity is a consequence of its slow development: fruit trees can take decades to reach full production.
What kind of tree is the olive tree?
The olive tree has a long and beloved history in the Mediterranean basin; it is a centuries-old plant with roots that date back to ancient times.
Its history goes hand in hand with that of man because the production of olive oil has been important for peoples and cultures since the very beginning.
The olive tree is used to produce oil, but it also plays a fundamental role in soil conservation and erosion prevention: the plant's roots help retain soil and protect it from potential damage (water or wind erosion).
The olive tree has been seen throughout history as a symbol of peace, victory, and the endurance of life itself, evoking feelings of harmony, vitality, and health.
Known as the “tree of eternity ,” the olive tree is one of the oldest cultivated trees , even before written language was invented.
It is often referred to as " the tree of life ", a clear reference to the suckers, or branches that grow from the roots or from the trunk of the olive tree and which are removed at certain times to obtain new seedlings.
To understand the age of an olive tree you need to look at the shape of the trunk: observing the torsion and the furrows on the trunk: young trees have a smooth and clear surface, while trees older than thirty years show cords (root-crown connections), a dark brown color and wrinkled bark.
Is it possible to determine the precise age of an olive tree? It's difficult because, thanks to the tree's ability to regenerate its canopy from new shoots, it's often possible to find trees with above-ground and below-ground structures of different ages.
Only dendrological analysis would allow a more precise estimate.
The Puglia region has a thousand-year history intertwined with olive trees.
For example, in Borgagne there still lives today the monumental olive tree, among the oldest in Italy , and not only that: the area between Ostuni, Monopoli, Fasano and Carovigno represents the richest and most concentrated territory of olive trees , many of which are thousands of years old.
Why is the olive tree called the tree of eternity?
The longevity of the olive tree is due to its strength and ability to survive adverse conditions : olive trees can survive drought, adapt to almost any sunny or temperate environment, thrive in most soil types, and even withstand periods of low temperatures.
It grows slowly and, thanks to its ability to shoot out new shoots, it is able to overcome adversities that would cause the death of other trees.
One of the oldest known olive trees is over 3,000 years old and still bears fruit in Crete.
Today there are 800 million olive trees and no fewer than 500 different cultivars , or varieties of olives.
Olive trees are nearly 6,000 years old and are native to present-day Turkey and Syria.
They are probably one of the first fruit trees to be domesticated by humans: from there, olives spread throughout the Mediterranean to places such as Italy, France, Greece and Spain.
As olive cultivation became more advanced, it spread further throughout the world.
Each location gives different characteristics to the olives grown there due to the composition of the soil, climatic conditions and cultivation techniques.
Types of olive trees
The commercial classification divides olive trees into:
- from the canteen
- from oil
- dual aptitude
However, in rare cases (such as the Gioia Tauro plain in Calabria) there are also wood olive trees used for the production of high-quality wood.
Referring to the main use, that is, the production of oil, within the same species there are many cultivars (several dozen) spread throughout the country, unique and specific for their aromatic component, earliness and type of oil produced.
To add further complexity to the system, consider that often the same cultivars have differentiated local ecotypes adapted to a specific area and that, conversely, synonyms and homonyms make what is actually the same different.
Olive tree and olive production
When it comes to olive production , the olive tree is a generous one. The quantity of olives produced by a single tree depends on its size as well as its health.
It is unthinkable that a small tree placed on the shores of Lake Garda could achieve production performances similar to those of centuries-old trees in Salento.
Among the varieties of olive trees producing oil, Coratina and Ogliarola can in some cases reach oil yields of 18%, however the yield data must be interpreted in a broader context.
In fact, the oil yield is inversely proportional to the quantity of olives produced: it would be more useful to think in terms of oil production per hectare rather than oil yield or quintals of olives.
Some olive trees do not produce olives and there may be many reasons for this: environmental stress, frost or sudden heat which can lead to the fall of the inflorescences or the abortion of the fruitlets.
Stress experienced in previous years often compromises the production potential of subsequent years.
To obtain a good olive production , the plant and its health play a fundamental role.
To achieve productive results, the olive tree must be in good health, maintain a good phytosanitary state and a balanced supply of nutrients.
Furthermore, balanced pruning done at the right time and balanced agronomic management are essential to avoid stress or excessive vigor, favorable swings in production and attacks by diseases and phytophagous insects.
