Olive Trees

Peru, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, and Brazil are the major producers of olives in South America, among which Peru and Argentina are the largest producers accounting for 70% of the production. Grapes and olives have long been planted together.  They exist in a great harmony.  Climate is one reason that grapes and olives make good companion plants. Both crops are also self-pollinating – neither need insects nor birds to carry pollen between flowers – and olive trees shelter grape vines against strong winds. Olive trees make good natural firebreaks because they have a higher burn point so they protect the vineyards in case of wildfire. When burned it produces 2.5 times the heat of burning wood, and the smoke is harmless. Its ash is used for fertilizing gardens.

It takes about fifteen years before an olive tree is mature and you can start harvesting fruit. After 4 to 6 years an olive tree will begin to take on a mature shape. An olive tree does not change much after that and only becomes a larger version of its present condition. Olive trees can get very old. The average age of an olive tree is 300-600 years. The oldest certified olive tree is more than 2000 years old! It can be found in a small town on the island of Crete in Greece and it still bears fruit. The tree is visited by more than 20,000 people every year. The trunk circumference is 41’, diameter of over 15’.

Random amazing facts about olive trees:

1. The olive tree ranges in height from 10-40 feet and has numerous branches full of silvery-green feather-like leaves. 
2. A mature olive tree will produce on average 44-88 pounds of olives per year. Since it takes about 220 pounds of olives to make 15 liters of oil, (the big can you get in the grocery is 3 liters) A mature tree is capable of producing about three to six liters of oil per year. 
3. Olive oil was already used in ancient times. In 2014, scientists discovered 8,000 year old olive oil in a town near Nazareth.
4. In ancient Greece the first eyeshadow was created by mixing olive oil and ground charcoal.
5. There are 139 olive varieties which are grown in 23 different countries
6. Olive trees are protected by the Law. In Ancient Greece, a person could be fined for digging up too many olive trees, even on their own land. In France, parts of Italy and parts of Spain it is illegal to sell old olive trees. That is necessary, because many old olive trees die during transport. 
7. The wood of an olive tree is resistant to decay.
8. The olive branch has long been regarded as a symbol for peace. It appears on the national flags of seven nations, four US states and the flag of the United Nations.
9. The olive branch is a sign of peace. A small gold replica of an olive branch was left on the Moon’s surface by Astronaut Neil A. Armstrong, an Apollo 11 crew member. The gesture represented a wish for peace for all mankind.