How long do olive trees take to grow?

Olive trees can live for an exceptionally long time , making them one of the most impressive and remarkable plants on Earth. Young olives look very different from their older, gnarled counterparts though. If you have a young tree or are considering getting one, you may be wondering just how long it’ll take to reach its fully grown state. Let’s take a closer look at the growth rate of olive trees and find out!

Olive trees grow quite slowly

Like many other Mediterranean trees, olives aren’t known for their rapid growth. They may be resilient and beautiful to look at, but fast-growing they are not. The growth rate of your tree will depend on a variety of different factors, including whether or not it’s potted, whether it’s located indoors or outdoors, the conditions it’s placed in and the way it’s maintained.

In a best case scenario, you’re likely to see in the region of 10 cm of growth each year. You could get more than this in rare circumstances, but 10 cm is typically the limit. This is assuming the tree is placed in ideal conditions and is planted in the ground (potted trees won’t grow as quickly by comparison).

Although 10 cm of growth is possible, many olives will grow 5 cm or less each year. This is quite common, so don’t expect rapid growth! This is especially true of trees that have been freshly planted; for the first year or so in their new home, you’re unlikely to notice much growth at all. Once your tree has been established for a couple of years, you’ll start to notice increased growth.

Speak to the olive tree experts

With the UK’s largest range of olive trees in stock, Olive Grove Oundle is the nation’s leading supplier. Explore our full range of trees online today. Or, if you need advice or have further questions, please don’t hesitate to ask us.