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Olive Trees for Sale UK – Hardy, Gnarled and Cloud Olive Trees

Palm and Olive sells hardy olive trees (Olea europaea) for UK gardens and patios – young standard olives, cloud-pruned (Niwaki) olives, gnarled olives and ancient olive trees over 100 years old with trunks up to 200 cm in girth. Every olive tree is hand-selected and photographed, with free delivery to most of mainland UK.

Olive trees for sale

A year with your olive tree

When olive trees flower, when the olives ripen from green to purple and black, and when to water, feed and prune an olive tree in the UK – month by month, for a tree in a pot and a tree planted in the ground. Established olive trees take about −10°C for short spells, so the tree itself doesn’t need covering in winter – just wrap the pot of a potted olive from November to March.

MonthWhat you’ll seeMain jobWatering (pot)Feeding (pot)Planted in the ground
JanuaryThe tree is resting. Established olives take about −10°C for short spells, so the branches don’t need covering – but a potted tree’s roots are above ground, so keep the pot wrapped, on feet and on the dry side.Keep the pot wrappedOnly if the pot is dryNoneLeave it be – rain is plenty
FebruaryStill resting. Brush heavy snow off the branches so they don’t snap under the weight.Brush snow off the branchesOnly if the pot is dryNoneLeave it be – rain is plenty
MarchDays lengthen and fresh silver-green shoots appear. Start a monthly feed for potted trees – a tree in the ground just needs one spring feed. Unwrap the pot once the hard frosts pass.Start feedingWhen the top 5 cm is dryStart feedingSlow-release feed round the base
AprilThe best time to prune: thin the centre to let light in and trim the outline. Cloud-pruned trees get their first trim of the year.Prune and shapeWeekly in potsMonthly feedPrune it the same way
MayClusters of tiny cream flowers open all over the tree. Olives are mostly wind-pollinated, but bees visit too.Enjoy the blossomWeekly in potsMonthly feedBest month to plant one
JunePeak blossom, then the petals fall and tiny green olives set – more of them after a warm, sunny spring.Water pots wellTwice a week in potsMonthly feedWeekly in its first summer
JulyYoung olives swell through the summer. Olive trees planted in the ground cope with drought once settled in, but potted trees need regular water.Water in dry spellsTwice a week in potsMonthly feedWater only in long dry spells
AugustFull-sized green olives. Give potted trees their last feed of the year and lightly trim cloud-pruned trees to keep the shapes crisp.Last feed and summer trimTwice a week in potsLast feedWater only in long dry spells
SeptemberGrowth slows as nights cool. Water potted trees a little less so the tree firms up before winter.Water a little lessWeekly in potsNoneNo watering needed
OctoberAfter a long warm summer, olives start to turn from green to purple. Pick them green or purple to cure – they are too bitter to eat raw.Pick olives to cureOnly when dryNoneNo watering needed
NovemberRipe olives darken to black. Wrap the pot in hessian or bubble wrap so the roots don’t freeze, and check it drains freely – the tree itself doesn’t need covering.Wrap the potOnly when dryNoneKeep grass and weeds off the base
DecemberWinter arrives and the tree rests. Keep the pot wrapped and the roots on the dry side; a tree planted in free-draining soil looks after itself.Let it restOnly if the pot is dryNoneLeave it be – rain is plenty

How old is an olive tree?

Olive trunks thicken by only about 1–1.5 cm of girth a year, so the girth – measured around the trunk about 1 m above the soil – gives a rough idea of age. Growing conditions vary and ancient trunks are often hollow, so treat these as estimates:

Trunk girthApproximate age
30 cmabout 20 years (roughly 15–25)
50 cmabout 35 years (roughly 25–45)
70 cmabout 50 years (roughly 35–60)
100 cmabout 70 years (roughly 55–90)
120 cmabout 100 years (roughly 75–125)
160 cmabout 155 years (roughly 115–195)
200 cmabout 210 years (roughly 160–265)

How to look after an olive tree

  • Position: Full sun and shelter from cold winds – a south or west-facing wall or patio is ideal. Olives hate sitting in shade and wet.
  • Soil and pots: Free-draining soil, or a large pot of John Innes No. 3 mixed with grit. Raise pots on feet so water never sits underneath.
  • Watering: Water when the top 5 cm of compost is dry – weekly to twice a week in summer for pots, much less in winter. Trees in the ground only need water in their first summer.
  • Feeding: Potted trees: a balanced or olive-tree feed once a month from March to August. Trees in the ground: one slow-release feed in spring.
  • Pruning: Prune in April or May: remove crossing branches and thin the centre. Trim cloud-pruned and ball olives again in late summer.
  • Winter: Established olives take about −10°C for short spells, so the tree itself doesn’t need covering. For potted trees, wrap the pot so the roots don’t freeze and raise it on feet so it drains.

How to plant an olive tree

  1. Plant in spring or early summer, after the risk of hard frost has passed.
  2. Choose the sunniest, most sheltered spot you have, out of cold north and east winds.
  3. Dig a hole twice as wide as the pot and mix plenty of grit into heavy soil.
  4. Set the tree at the same depth it was in its pot – never bury the trunk.
  5. Firm in, stake larger trees against wind, and water well.
  6. Water weekly through the first summer, then only in long dry spells.

Plant them with palm trees, in terracotta pots, with topiary and hedging or tree ferns.

Olive tree FAQs

Will an olive tree survive in the UK?

Yes. Established olive trees (Olea europaea) take about −10°C for short spells and grow well across much of the UK, especially in the south and in towns. The keys are full sun, free-draining soil and dry roots in winter. Trees planted in the ground are the toughest of all, because the soil keeps their roots from freezing.

Do olive trees produce olives in the UK?

Often, yes – especially after a long, warm summer in the south of England. Olive trees flower in May and June, the fruit sets in June and July and ripens from green to purple and black between October and December. The olives must be cured before eating.

How fast do olive trees grow?

Slowly. Olive trees usually add 15–30 cm of height a year in the UK, and their trunks thicken by only around 1–1.5 cm of girth a year. That is why large, gnarled trunks are so old and so valuable.

How old is my olive tree?

Measure around the trunk about 1 m above the soil. As a rough guide, a 30 cm girth is around 20 years old, 70 cm around 50 years, 120 cm around 100 years and 160 cm around 150 years. Growing conditions vary, and ancient trunks are often hollow, so treat it as an estimate.

Can I grow an olive tree in a pot?

Yes – olives are one of the best trees for pots. Use a large, heavy pot with drainage holes, John Innes No. 3 with grit, and pot feet. Water through summer, feed monthly from March to August, and wrap the pot in winter.

How often should I water an olive tree?

Water when the top 5 cm of compost is dry. In summer that is about once or twice a week for a potted tree; in winter, only if the pot is dry. Trees planted in the ground only need watering in their first summer and in long dry spells.

When should I prune an olive tree?

Prune in April or May, once the hard frosts are over. Remove dead and crossing branches and thin the centre so light and air get in. Cloud-pruned and ball-shaped olives also get a light trim in late summer.

Does an olive tree need covering in winter?

The tree itself doesn’t – established olive trees take about −10°C for short spells. Potted trees are different, because their roots sit above ground: wrap the pot in hessian or bubble wrap from November to March, raise it on pot feet and water only when dry. Trees planted in the ground in free-draining soil need nothing. Brush off heavy snow so the branches don’t snap.

How do I look after an olive tree planted in the ground?

Plant it in the sunniest, most sheltered spot you have, in free-draining soil (mix grit into heavy clay). Water weekly through its first summer, then only in long dry spells – once settled, the roots find their own water. Give one slow-release feed in spring, prune in April or May, and keep grass and weeds clear of the base. It does not need covering in winter.

Why are the leaves on my olive tree falling?

Some leaf drop in spring is normal as new leaves replace old ones. Heavy leaf drop or yellow leaves usually mean the roots are too wet, so check that the pot drains freely and water less. A sudden cold snap can also cause leaf drop; the tree normally recovers in spring.

What is a cloud-pruned olive tree?

A cloud olive (also called Niwaki or bonsai style) is pruned into separate rounded pads of foliage on twisting branches. It makes a striking, architectural feature and needs a light trim twice a year to keep the shapes.

What size olive tree should I buy?

For a patio pot, a 4–6ft tree with a 15–35 cm girth trunk is easy to handle. For a focal point, a gnarled or cloud olive with a 60 cm+ trunk has instant character. Ancient trees with 100–200 cm girth are statement specimens for large gardens.

Do you deliver olive trees across the UK?

Yes. Delivery is free to most of mainland UK. Every olive tree is hand-selected and photographed, so you can see your exact tree – message us on WhatsApp for photos and trunk measurements.

Questions? Call or WhatsApp Palm and Olive on 07481 102135 or email info@palmandolive.co.uk.

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