I'm think about trying to grow a fruiting olive like a mission olive or something like that. Not sure if the humidity around here would do it in???
Anyone think I have a shot at growing an olive tree????
It is possible, I had a small one for several years but it did not survive the remodeling project. You are right about them not liking the humidity. There is a guy out on Saint Helena who tried a whole orchard of them and I understand it was not exactly a success. He was close to the beach, had sandy soil for good drainage and lots of breeze for air circulation and those trees were still not happy.
I can't remember what variety I had (got it from Parks outlet) but while it was still young, and only about 2' tall, it did get little tiny olives.
Ran into this and sent off an email to them. http://www.ars.usda.gov/Main/docs.htm?docid=12149
If you click http://www.ars.usda.gov/Main/docs.htm?docid=12870 seems to be less than know olive trees. Problem would be trying to figure out what part of the world would be more like here??? Not sure where I'm going with this but who knows? The trick seems to be to getting them to fruit which all has to do with temp change in a day and I'm not sure if I get a wide enough range. Next problem would be humidity and fungus problems. The fruit would be getting ripe when we are getting hit with high humidity. I'm sure an olive can take heat but the humidity would be the wild card.
Here's another odd thing I found. http://www.victoria-adventure.org/victoria/seed_request.html
I've seen those growing in Orlando year round and may try to put a couple in my lagoon. Probably die at the end of the year but would be interesting if I could get them decent size fairly fast.
Got a reply. Miss Smith said to look around here. http://www.oleadb.it/olivodb.html
I've got a 12' Oleo europa that's been in the ground here for 3 years, Core (after being potted and coddled in the GH for 5 yrs). It's growing well; always flowers and fruits every year, but the fruits don't make it past pin-head size. I got the thing from Caroline Madsen at Pete's Herbs 8 yrs ago, and she told me that the 3 they've got planted in the ground at the nursery had never flowered , or fruited, but are growing well (and they are!). The first time mine flowered and fruited 3 yrs ago, I ran down to Pete's Herbs to tell him. He told me that Oliveo europa will rarely flower here in Charleston, and never set fruit. The humidity is just too high. I didn't believe him then, but now I do! I've never had a single olive reach even bead-size...But they WILL FLOWER and FRUIT here...just not reliably or successfully, or result in a "crop". Still a useful ornamental though if you're into that stuff...The grey-green foliage contrasts nicely with any deep-green holly/magnolia backdrop...
I'm thinking of an olive more for show than to get a crop. It would be nice to get full size olives but not necessary. I'm looking into a couple of varieties that are widely grown in France and Italy. Thought being whatever is grown the most commonly is probably the easiest to grow in different conditions.
Arabiquina is the cultivar I had although I did not get my plant from Logees. Looks like the cool nights are key to getting fruit and years ago we used to have more of them.
http://www.logees.com/prodinfo.asp?number=R1704-4