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Olive Flower Wikimedia Commons
Oleaceae

Olive Flower

Olea europaea

Peace, wisdom, and victory.

Family
Oleaceae
Genus
Olea
Native to
Mediterranean region
Bloom season
Late Spring
Type
evergreen tree
Height
15-50 ft
Sunlight
full sun
Soil
well-drained, rocky, alkaline
Water
low; very drought-tolerant
Hardiness
8-11
Lifespan
perennial; can live over 2,000 years

Did you know

  • The tiny fragrant flowers are mostly wind-pollinated, and a single tree can produce half a million blooms in a season.
  • Olive trees in the Garden of Gethsemane in Jerusalem have been carbon-dated to approximately 900 years old.
  • An olive branch was carried by a dove to Noah in the Bible, establishing it as the universal symbol of peace.
  • Olympic athletes in ancient Greece were crowned with wreaths of wild olive from a sacred tree near Olympia.
  • An olive tree can regrow from its root system even after being cut to the ground or burned by fire.

Color meanings

0

peace

1

wisdom

2

prosperity

Uses

  • olive oil production
  • table olives
  • ornamental tree
  • timber
  • traditional medicine