Olive trees are a wonderful thing to grow in your home. A little slice of the Mediterranean, bringing some understated beauty with their delicate little green leaves and rugged trunks. They can also produce pretty little white flowers, as well as those delicious fruits, even in the UK, but they offer so much more than what they produce.
There's a certain element of calm that you get from an olive tree, indoors or outdoors. The Mediterranean lifestyle is all about a relaxed pace of life (and olive oil!), and having an olive tree indoors can help you recreate that. It's not just about vibes, it's been scientifically proven that with more indoor plants around you, you will feel more relaxed and stress-free.
We want to take the time in this blog to tell you exactly how to care for an olive tree, so that you can help these wonderful little trees thrive in your home. We'll cover everything you need to know about indoor olive tree care, from how much water they require, to what sort of soil they grow best in.
Are indoor Olive Trees easy to care for?
We can nip this one in the bud pretty quickly - yes, indoor olive trees are easy to care for. Coming from those warm, dry countries on the Mediterranean, they have built up a resilience to drought, so they won't die if you forget to give it a drink. They are quite forgiving like that.
However, if you really want your indoor olive trees to thrive, then there are quite a few things you can do. Fortunately, we have got you covered, and all you need to do is read the rest of this blog to be fully armed to help your tree grow to be the best it can be!
What are indoor Olive Trees?
Indoor Olive Trees are, as you would probably expect, the same as outdoor Olive Trees, but ones that you grow indoors. They are the same Mediterranean plants that produce those delightful fruits and flowers, although as we mentioned above, not every tree grown in the UK will produce fruit - but you can give yours the best opportunity to do so by following our guide below.
They are slow growing trees, which does help when it comes to maintenance, and the type that we sell will grow to a maximum of 180 cm. There are many different Olive Tree varieties (have a look at our Olive patio trees), but they all have similar attributes - they don't like the cold weather (in the Winter, Olive Trees need to be protected until early Spring if you're growing them outside), and they prefer hot, dry conditions. You can grow Olive Trees in pots, and they make beautiful ornamental plants, either indoors or outdoors.
How to care for a real Olive Tree (indoor)
Now we will run through everything you need to know about indoor Olive Tree care. We're going to run through the various requirements in detail. before providing an easy-to-digest quick-fire guide to how to take care of olive trees indoors. This advice all applies to potted olive trees.
We'll start with the watering requirements. As we mentioned above, most Olive Trees are relatively drought tolerant, but if you really want your potted tree to thrive, you should try to make sure it never fully dries out. Regular watering, particularly in the growing season (Spring and Summer), is the best way to ensure this, but at the same time, overwatering can lead to root rot - you don't want it so sit in water.
The best way to know for sure whether your Olive Tree needs water is to touch the soil. If it is dry about an inch below the surface, then it could do with a drink. If it's moist, leave it for a day or two before you check again.
Next up, we have the light requirements. This is probably the most important aspect when it comes to caring for an Olive Tree indoors. Olea europaea are used to plenty of light in their natural habitat, and if you want to get the most out of one in your home, you need to try and give it as much light as possible. A south facing window is the ideal position. Ideally, it should be getting around 6 hours of natural sunlight a day, and if possible, you should rotate the tree periodically so that every side of the tree gets an opportunity to receive the light. You can supplement the amount of light it gets with a grow light.
Olive trees grow best in well drained potting soil. When it comes to repotting, pick a pot around 5cm bigger than the root ball, and pack with plenty of well drained soil.
In terms of pruning, it's best to do this in Spring, just as the new growth starts for the year. You can trim back the branches from about half a centimetre from the leaf node, and that will encourage healthy growth from there. You should also remove dead branches, and any that are growing too low down, to help it keep it's shape.
Now, as promised, here is our quick-fire guide to Olive Tree care:
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Origins: Mediterranean
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How much light: Plenty of bright direct sunlight. Ideally around six hours a day. You may consider moving it outside during the much warmer Summer months
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Water requirements: When the top soil is dry, a few times a week in the summer, and less often in the cooler months. Young Olive Trees need more water than mature ones.
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Humidity requirements: Keep it as dry as possible - no need for any water mist.
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Soil requirements: Well-draining potting mix is perfect
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Temperature requirements: 18°C to 27°C is ideal (standard home temperature). Keep away from any severe Winter weather.
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Pruning requirements: Reshape and remove any dead branches in the early Spring.
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Pests: Like many indoor potted plants, they may attract spider mites and mealybugs. They may be on the underside of the leaves - simply remove with a cloth if you see any.
Propagating Olea europaea
You can propagate Olive Trees quite easily from cuttings - all you need to do is snip a branch, around 15-20cm in length, from around 0.5cm from the leaf node. Strip the leaves, leaving a couple at the top, and dip the cut end in a rooting powder. Then pop it in a pot with some sand and peat, with plenty of water, in a spot that gets some natural light but also shade. Keep the soil moist, and after around three months you should have some roots, at which point you can repot and your new tree will grow from there!
Prickle Plant - Indoor Plant Specialists
Now you know everything you need to know about Olive Tree care, there will be no stopping you! An Olive Tree can be just a small part of your indoor plant display - take a look through our huge range to see what will compliment these beautiful trees. We also have a wide range of outdoor flower plants.
If you have any questions at all, our team of experts would love to hear from you. You can reach them on social media (@prickplantsuk ) or email (contact@prickleplants.co.uk) - they can't wait to help you out!