The Olive Tree Company
The Olive Tree Company
The focus at the Olive Tree Company is to promote the olive once again. With an agricultural background our staff can assist you in all aspects of farming, from propagation and tree selection to orchard development and orchard management. We offer specialty propagation services for the olive orchard enthusiast and work directly with local olive mills who provide custom milling services for those interested in olive oil production.
Our Nursery
Located in Geyserville, California stocks a selection of olive tree varieties from Italy, Spain, France, and Greece. We also carry hard to find varieties and stock trees used for high-density orchards.
History of the Olive
The Olive ( Olea Europaea ) is a drought tolerant, evergreen tree native to the Mediterranean, Asia Minor, and parts of Africa. It ranges in size from a smallish, bush like shrub to a sprawling 40 foot tree. It's leaves are silvery gray to sage green and are oblong shaped. The trees have a smooth gray bark when young and grow gnarled and twisted with age. Records show that the olive tree has been around for over 5,000 years while there are some over 3,000 years old surviving and still producing today.
The olive arrived in California with the Franciscan missionaries hundreds of years ago. Many of the old trees still remain throughout California and it is making a strong comeback today.
Most recently, the Central Valley has seen the greatest push in olive tree planting where olive trees are being planted in high-density systems primarily for olive oil production. Olive trees are also seeing a reemergence in Northern California, in areas such as Sonoma County, where they are being planted for oil and other culinary purposes.
