Wild Olive
Olea europaea L. subsp. africana
Common names: Olienhout (Afr.)
SA Tree No: 617
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Size:
A neatly shaped evergreen tree with a dense spreading crown (9 x 12 m)
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Bark:
The rough, grey bark sometimes peels off in strips...
Leaf:
​Glossy grey-green to dark-green foliage.
Flower:
Sprays of tiny, lightly scented white to greenish flowers (October to February).
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Fruit:
The small, spherical, thinly fleshy fruits (March to July) ripen purple-black
Growth Habit:
Slow-growing
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Habitat:
This tree is found in a variety of habitats, often near water, e.g.on rocky hillsides, on stream banks and in woodland.
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Wildlife:
The fruits are popular with people, monkeys, baboons, mongooses, bushpigs, warthogs and birds (e.g. redwinged and pied starlings, Rameron pigeons, African green pigeons, Cape parrots and louries). Leaves are browsed by game and stock.
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Distribution:
It is widespread in Africa, Mascarene Islands, Arabia, India to China.
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Uses:
A tea can be made from the leaves. The hard, heavy and beautiful golden-brown wood is used for furniture, ornaments, spoons and durable fence posts. An ink is made from the juice of the fruit. Traditional remedies prepared from this plant serve as eye lotions and tonics, lower blood pressure, improve kidney function and deal with sore throats. The early Cape settlers used the fruits to treat diarrhoea.
Growing it...
Propagate it from seed or from hardwood cuttings. Sow fresh seed in river sand. Treat cuttings with a rooting hormone.
April Photo's
