Olive Trees

Olive trees are short, bushy trees with twisted trunks. They have small, silvery-green leaves that shine in the sun. Olive trees grow little round fruits called olives. People have been growing olive trees for thousands of years in warm places like Italy, Greece, and Spain.

Long, Long Lives

Olive trees can live for a very, very long time. Some olive trees are more than 2,000 years old and are still making fruit. Their trunks get twisted and gnarled as they age. Even if the top of the tree gets cut down, it can grow back from the roots. This makes olive trees very hard to kill.

Olives and Oil

The fruit of the olive tree starts out green and turns black when it is ripe. Fresh olives are too bitter to eat and must be soaked in salty water first. Most olives are pressed to make olive oil. Olive oil is used in cooking all around the world. It is said to be very healthy for people to eat.

Fun Facts

• The olive branch is an ancient symbol of peace.
• It takes about 11 pounds of olives to make one liter of olive oil.
• Olive trees stay green all year round.

Did You Know?

Some people believe the oldest olive tree in the world grows on the island of Crete in Greece and is over 3,000 years old.