Everything You Need to Know

Caring for Your Durant Olive Trees

Olive trees really grow in Oregon?

Yes! The Durant family planted their first olive trees in the Dundee Hills in 2005. After more that twenty years, they have found varietes that don't only survive here in the PNW but actually thrive! We only offer reliable varieties that have grown here on the farm either in our production orchards or in the landsape for many years. Keep an eye out for our ‘Durant Select’ olive trees which have been propagated right here at Durant from our oldest, most hardy trees including those that survived the harsh winters of 2009 and 2013.

Where should I plant my olive tree?

Choose a sunny south or west facing location as olive trees thrive with at least 8 hours of intense light each day. The more sun and heat you can give your olive tree, the better! Protect your tree from cold winds if possible. Make sure your olive is planted in a location with good drainage as they do poorly in soggy, wet conditoons. Plant your tree making sure the crown is above soil level. Treat the surrounding soil with lime per manufacturer's instructions to help neutralize our typically acidic soils. Olive trees do best in neutral to slightly alkaline soil. Give your tree a good soak when planting, as this helps ensure that the soil makes good contact with its roots and eliminates any air pockets. Water regularly until the rainy season. While most plants become 'established' in one season, olive trees are slower to grow and need regular water for the first two years they are planted.

When should I plant my olive tree?

We recomment planting our most popular 1 gallon sized olive trees in the ground in spring after the threat of frost but before July 15th. While we do offer only cold hardy varities, smaller trees especially need some time to set enough roots to help sheild against any cold temps that might occur during the winter months. Our larger 3-15 gallon trees can be planted later into the fall as they already have a more established root system. If you do purchase a smaller sized tree later in the season keep it in its nursery pot through the winter in a protected outdoor area (such as a covered porch or patio, or under your eves on the west or south side of your house) and plant into the ground the following spring. Consider using mycorrhizae when planting your olive. This beneficial bacteria will help with root establishment by encouraging more vigorous,fibrous roots. This is helpful with all plants but especially our olives which need a hardy root system to withstand cold temps.

What does my olive tree need in order to bear fruit?

Some olive varietes are self-fertile while others need another variety of olive in order to cross-pollinate. We have found that even reputedly self-fertile olive trees will produce a larger olive harvest when another varietyis introduced. As olive trees are not heavy-producers in the first place, we highly recommend planting two or more varietes if your goal is to harvest fruit. All olives are wind-pollinated and should be planted within 20’ of each other, making sure no major obstructions (i.e. buildings or fences) are in between. It is important o harvest your olives before a hard freeze sets in which can deteriorate the fruit qualiy. Wetypically harvest our estate-grown olives in early to mid-November for milling our olive oil. Bear in mind that it takes around 6,500 olives (depending on varietal) to produce one gallon of olive oil. Home growers rarely, if ever, will produce enough olives for oil needs. Fortunately, we know a wonderful destinaiton for delicious olive oil!

When should I fertlize my olive tree?

Olives do not prefer excessively fertile soil as they originate in the hot, dry and porous soils of the Mediterranean. Over fertilizing can lead to poor fruiting. Only feed your olive tree during the active growing season (May-July), using a fruit tree fertilizer. Apply according to the manufacturer's instructions. Fertilizing too early or too late in the season can lead to cold damage. If you'd like you can amend the area around your olive tree with organic compost once a year to improve our clay soil’s structure and increase drainage.

When and how do I prune my olive tree?

Giving your tree three to four years to establish before you begin your pruning regime is ideal. The more leaves your olive tree has, the more energy it will have to produce the roots needed to withstand any cold weather while it is young.Spring pruning can begin after the threat of frost. Open wounds during freezing weather, especially on young trees, can greatly damage them. Begin by pruning out any dead, damaged and/or crossing branches. Keep your olive’s center open so that its fruit is more accessible to light. When pruning for aesthetic purposes, keep in mind that your olive’s branches initiate their flowers in November, and fruit on one-year-old shoots, usually the first 8-12” of it’s branch. Pruning too much may decrease the amount of uit your tree will produce.

Can I grow my olive tree in a pot?

Absolutely. Olive trees can grow well in pots indefinitely. Choose a pot large enough to allow for multiple years growth, ending with a pot 24-30” in diameter (roughly half wine barrel size) or larger. Choose a regular to course potting mix for your container. Growing trees in pots will restrict their growth, making it a great way to add olive trees to small spaces. Let your container-grown olive trees dry out 1-2 inches below soil level, then soak thoroughly until water drains out om the bottom. We do not particularly recommend growing olive trees indoors as they need to be planted outdoors in order to thrive!

I have a young olive tree, what should I do if a particularly cold winter occurs here in the PNW?

If you have only had your olive tree in the ground for a year or two and weather starts heading into the lower twenties, go ahead and take the precation of covering its canopy all the way down to the soil around its trunk with frost cloth or even an old cotton sheet until the temps warm back up. Never use plastic to cover your tree as it can damage your tree especially if you forget to uncover your tree. If you have a young tree in a pot move your tree under a covered area or even an unheated shed or garage until the cold spell is over. If the pot is too heavy to move, cover as described above as if your tree was planted in the ground. The older your tree is, that is the larger it's root ball becomes, morre tolerate to colder temps.

What is wrong with my olive tree?

Peacock Spot: this is a fungal issue that presents itself as a large-ish spot reminiscent of a peacock feather, which leads to a yellowing mottled appreance on the leaf. If untreated, it interfers with the trees ability to photosynthesize. Treat by removing affected leaves and completely disposing them (letting them fall on the ground can reintroduce the issue) then use a copper sulfate fungicide according to manufacturer's instructions. Hard Shelled Black Scale: the most telling sign of this pest is a sooty covering on the trees leaves and branches. This is a fungus (sooty mold) that is attracted to the byproduct of the scale. Turn over affected leaves you will likely see a hard black bump that is actually the scale. Treat by washibng off the sooty mold with warm water and a gentle dish soap. Remove any scale found then use an organic pesticide, we use Neem oil, per manufacturer's instrutions. Treat your tree for the scale will prevent any sooty mold from appearing. Cold Damage: After a long bout of below freezing weather, your tree could respond by defoliating, tip dieback and/or cracking bark. You can check on the health of your tree by scratching a tiny layer of the bark toward the bottom of the trunk near the soil. If the tissue beneath is wet and green, it is still alive. Outside of cleaning any cast off leaves from soil around your olive tree, no intervention is needed until the threat of frost is over. At that point follow the pruning and fertilizing instructions above. This will address any tip dieback and help your tree recover. If the layer is brown and dry where you scratched, it may be time to replace it.

What olive trees varities and sizes do you carry?

While all varities are subject to availalbity, we offer Aglandau, Ascolana, Bouteillan, Empeltre, Fraintoio, Grignon, Leccino, Mission, Nocellara Del Belice, Picual, Picudo, Pendolino in one through 15 gallon sizes. We do not wholesale our olive trees. Email nursery@durantoregon.com for availablity if you are interested in certain varieties or sizes.

Can you tell me more specifics about your olive tree varieties?

Maybe we can link this to our 101 sessions and/or the olive variety guide I gave you? I forgot to share it with you on drive. I'll do that now.


If you can’t find the answer to your question in our club member FAQ, please to reach out to us. We’re here to help!

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Durant Olive Tree Varieties

‘Aglandau’ Used in our production orchards. (French) – Medium-sized fruit. Dense canopy with an upright growth habit and a naturally globular shape. Good option for pickling. ‘Aglandau’ began as a test variety here at Durant in 2013 and has proven itself well-adapted to our growing area. Attractive when used in the landscape.
‘Ascolana’ Enjoyed in our landscape. (Italian) – Large sized fruit. Upright habit with a dense canopy and semi-pendulous branching. Fairly vigorous. Makes a great table olive especially for stuffing as it has more meat than pit. Also used for oil production.
‘Black Pearl’ Used in our production orchards. (Crimean) – Large sized fruit. Vigorous grower with upright habit, fairly open canopy and dark green leaves. Planted as a test variety in 2018, it has proven productive and hardy. Large fruit makes it a good option for table olives.
‘Bouteillan’ Enjoyed in our landscape. (French) – Large-sized olive. Upright habit with open canopy. Very attractive. Great for container growing. Considered self-fertile but needs another olive variety for any significant fruit production. Very attractive in the landscape.
‘Empeltre’ Enjoyed in our landscape. (Spanish) – Medium sized fruit. Upright habit with dense canopy of silvery leaves. Considered semi self-fruitful. If a harvest is desired, use a pollinator. Can be used as both a table olive as well as in oil production. Elegant branching and silvery color makes it an excellent choice for landscape use or to plant in containers.
‘Frantoio’ Used in our production orchards. (Italian) – Medium sized fruit. Spreading, drooping habit with darker green leaves. Medium-dense canopy. Vigorous and productive, it is planted abundantly in our orchards. Can be self-fruiting but is more productive with a pollinator. Good general pollinator for other varieties. Considered a workhorse in our production orchards.
‘Grignan’ Used in our production orchards. (Italian) – Medium-sized fruit. Upright habit with dense canopy of grey-green leaves. Naturally round canopy echoes its round fruit. Best used in the landscape or in pots due to its low vigor. Very attractive.
‘Leccino’ Used in our production orchards. (Italian) – Medium-sized fruit. Planted extensively in our olive orchard. Prized for its vigor and productivity. Dense canopy with a slightly drooping habit. Pendulous branching which curve at the tip. Leaves are greyish-green with a yellowish hued underside. Considered a workhorse in our production orchards.
Mission Used in our production orchards. (American) – Medium-sized fruit. Most likely Spanish in origin. Upright habit with medium-dense canopy has silvery leaves and upright branching. Can be self-fruitful but will produce much more with a pollinator. Dual purpose with both oil and table uses. Very attractive in the landscape and when used in containers.
‘Midnight’ Used in our production orchards. (Crimean) – Large-sized fruit. Vigorous grower with an upright habit and dense canopy of darker green leaves. Large fruit makes it a good table option. Planted as a test variety in 2018, it has proven itself productive and hardy.
‘Nocerella Del Belice’ Used in our production orchards. (Sicilian) – Large-sized fruit. Upright habit with long branching and an expansive canopy. Initially planted as a test variety in 2013, it has proven its hardiness and productivity to the point that we plan on using it more in our production orchards. Dual purpose. Also known as the ‘Castelvetrano’ olive. Lovely in the landscape.
‘Pendolino’ Used in our production orchards. (Italian) – Medium-sized fruit. Considered the ‘Universal Pollinator’ due to its long bloom period and high pollen content. Dense canopy with pendulous, weeping form and long flexible branches. Leaves are thin and long with a darker-grey green color. Very prized in our production orchards.
‘Picudo’ Enjoyed in our landscape. (Spanish) – Large-sized fruit. Smaller pit ratio makes this a great table olive option. Upright growth habit with a dense, dark green canopy. Can be self-fruitful but introducing a pollinator increases its production. Makes a good general pollinator for other varieties. Great for topiary use or in the landscape; tends to maintain its darker green leaf color during the winter months.
‘Picual’ Used in our production orchards. (Spanish) – Medium-sized fruit. A vigorous variety with a notably squarish, upright form. Closely spaced leaves flip up exposing their silvery underside on small branches. Vigorous grower. Planted abundantly in our production orchards. Considered a workhorse in our production orchard. Very attractive in the landscape as well as in pottery.