How to grow Olive in New Zealand
Olive trees are tough, silver-leaved evergreens that suit New Zealand's warm, dry districts and make handsome specimen trees, hedges and topiary. They take a few years to fruit, and the olives must be cured before they are edible, but a single tree can give jars of table olives or a little oil. They need full sun, very good drainage and an open, airy canopy.
📖 Our full guide: How to Grow Olive in New Zealand
At a glance
When to plant by region
| Region | When to plant | Regional note |
|---|---|---|
| Northland | March and April, September and October | |
| Auckland | March and April, September and October | |
| Waikato & Bay of Plenty | March and April, September and October | |
| Central North Island | October and November | Plant in spring. Autumn planted trees risk frost damage before they establish; pumice gives the drainage olives need. |
| Wellington & Lower North Island | March and April, September and October | |
| Nelson & Marlborough | March and April, September and October | |
| Canterbury | October and November | Plant in spring. Autumn planted trees risk frost damage before they establish. Choose a hot, sheltered spot with free draining soil. |
| Otago & Southland | October and November | Marginal. The tree survives near the coast but cool summers give little fruit. Plant in spring in the warmest, best drained spot. |
| Central Otago | November | Marginal. Hot summers suit olives but winters below minus 8 can kill young trees. Plant in November after the frosts on a warm, sheltered slope and protect trees while young. |
Not to be confused with: African olive (Olea europaea subsp. cuspidata), a related shrub with small fruit that is an environmental weed. Weedbusters notes the cultivated European olive can also become weedy where birds spread its fruit.
Where to plant
Olives thrive in warm, dry districts with long, sunny summers, and in New Zealand the main groves are in places such as Hawke's Bay, Wairarapa, Marlborough and Waiheke. Plant in full sun in very free-draining soil; olives hate wet feet. They prefer neutral to slightly alkaline soil, so lime acid ground before planting.
Established trees are hardy, but young trees can be damaged by hard frosts. In humid districts give them an open, airy site to reduce fungal leaf disease.
- Northland, Auckland, Waikato and Bay of Plenty, Wellington, and Nelson and Marlborough: plant in autumn (March and April) or spring (September and October). Humid northern summers can bring peacock spot and anthracnose, so keep the canopy open.
- Central North Island and Canterbury: plant in spring, October or November. Autumn-planted trees risk frost damage before they establish. Choose a hot, sheltered spot with free-draining soil; pumice soils give the drainage olives need.
- Otago and Southland: marginal. Trees survive near the coast, but cool summers give little fruit. Plant in spring in the warmest, best-drained spot.
- Central Otago: marginal. Hot summers suit olives, but winters below about minus 8°C can kill young trees. Plant in November after the frosts on a warm, sheltered slope and protect young trees.
Choosing a variety
| Variety | Notes |
|---|---|
| Frantoio | An Italian oil variety, early season, with heavy yields of medium oval fruit; widely grown in New Zealand |
| Leccino | A Tuscan oil variety, early season, heavy yields; suits both cooler and warmer New Zealand districts |
| J5 | A New Zealand selection, midseason, heavy yields of medium oval fruit; suits cold and warm areas |
| Manzanillo | A popular dual-purpose table and oil olive |
| Kalamata | A large, dark table olive for curing |
Many olive varieties set more fruit with a second, compatible variety nearby, as they are wind pollinated. If you want a good crop, plant two different varieties.
How to plant
- Choose a sunny, well-drained site and lime acid soil to around neutral.
- Dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball and no deeper, with compost mixed into the backfill.
- Plant at the same depth as in the pot, firm in and water well.
- Stake young trees in windy spots and mulch, keeping mulch off the trunk.
- Do not prune for the first two years after planting.
Watering and feeding
Water young trees regularly while they establish. Established olives are very drought tolerant, but a deep watering in long dry spells while fruit is swelling improves the crop. Never let roots sit in wet soil.
Feed in spring with a balanced slow-release fertiliser. Olives need little feeding; too much nitrogen gives leafy growth.
Pruning and care through the year
- After two years, train a central leader with three main scaffold branches, and later a second tier.
- Olives fruit on the previous year's growth and never on the same wood twice. Prune each year in spring once the heaviest frosts have passed, removing the shoots that fruited last season.
- Remove suckers and fast, upright water shoots whenever you see them.
- Keep the canopy open, so that, as growers say, a bird could fly through it. This helps wind pollination and reduces fungal disease.
Harvesting
Olives ripen from mid autumn to early winter, about April to June. For oil, pick when about a third of the fruit is green, a third purple and a third black: black fruit is full of oil but less flavoursome, and green fruit adds peppery notes. For table olives, pick by hand to avoid bruising, green or black depending on how you want to cure them.
Raw olives are inedibly bitter and must be cured before eating, in water, brine or salt over several weeks. Process them soon after picking.
Growing in pots
Olives grow well in large pots at least 60 cm wide in full sun, and make excellent topiary. Use a free-draining potting mix, avoid self-watering pots, and feed with a slow-release fertiliser in spring and autumn. Potted trees fruit less than trees in the ground.
Companion planting
Olives pair naturally with other Mediterranean plants that like sun, lean soil and dry conditions.
Good companions
- Lavender A Mediterranean plant for the same hot, dry, free-draining spot.
- Rosemary Shares the same sun and sharp drainage, and brings in bees.
- Thyme A low, drought-tolerant groundcover for under the canopy.
- Nasturtium A low flowering groundcover that brings in beneficial insects.
Pests and diseases
Olives have few problems in dry districts. Black scale and fungal leaf diseases are more common in humid areas.
Pests to watch for
- Scale Dark, domed scale insects on stems and leaves with sticky honeydew and black sooty mould.
Diseases to watch for
- Peacock spot Dark, round spots with a yellow halo on the leaves, followed by leaf drop, in wet, humid weather. Open the canopy; copper sprays help.
- Anthracnose Soft, sunken, rotting spots on ripening fruit in wet autumns.
- Verticillium wilt Branches suddenly wilt and die back. Avoid planting where tomatoes, potatoes or other susceptible crops have grown.
Common questions
How long does an olive tree take to fruit?
Usually three to five years after planting, and the tree then crops for many years.
Can I eat olives straight off the tree?
No. Raw olives are extremely bitter. They must be cured in water, brine or salt for several weeks before eating.
Do I need two olive trees?
Many varieties crop better with a second, compatible variety nearby, as olives are wind pollinated. Some set fruit alone, but two varieties usually give a better crop.
When should I prune an olive tree?
In spring once the heaviest frosts have passed. Remove the shoots that fruited last year, plus suckers and water shoots, and keep the canopy open.
Can olives grow in the South Island?
In sheltered, sunny spots in Marlborough, Nelson, Canterbury and Central Otago, yes, planted in spring. In Otago and Southland trees survive near the coast but fruit poorly.
Can I grow an olive in a pot?
Yes. Use a pot at least 60 cm wide with free-draining mix, avoid self-watering pots and keep it in full sun. Potted olives also make excellent topiary.
Sources we checked: Incredible Edibles: All about olives; Yates NZ: How to grow olives; Weedbusters: African olive.