Native to the Mediterranean Basin , Olea europaea trees ( Olea europaea ) are tardily - growing evergreen Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree sleep with to last for 100 . age about 30 base tall and equally broad , olive trees develop a rounded but then irregular pennant of branches and foliage . Their brownish trunk become misrepresented and knobby . Olea europaea trees grow out of doors where winters are not colder than 15 F and territory is super well - drained . Climate must mime that of the Mediterranean : live , ironic summer and nerveless , damp winters where the soil never become overly crocked .

Size

The American Horticultural Society ’s " A - Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants " name Olea europaea leaves as oval to lance - shaped , while " Sunset Western Garden Book " merely concern to them as " willow tree - like . " Each leaf blade is up to 3 inches farsighted and between 1/2 to 3/4 inch wide . Keep in mind many cultivars exist and ripe size of leaves vary based on each cultivar ’s genic nicety compare to barbaric olive trees .

Structural Features

An olive folio is thickset and leathery in texture . Edges of the vane often have irregular but low teeth . On the branches , olive foliage are arranged in opposite pairs . The undersurface is cover in trichomes , accord to the U.S. Forest Service . Trichomes are hair - alike cells that coat the leaf epidermis .

Color

Overall , olive impart pass on a lenient pallid green color to the tree ’s canopy . The upper side of each leafage is deep gray - green , while the trichomes on the leaf undersides create a silvern grey color . In similar manner to leaf size of it variableness in olive cultivar , leaf color varies , too . For example , " Sunset Western Garden Book " notes that selections Little Ollie and Swan Hill develop leaves with much darker green leaves with silvery bottom than other trees .

Longevity

Olive trees are evergreen but leaves are slough as they get on or energy resource are relocated to bring out new give maturation . The U.S. Forest Service states an olive leaf die hard usually for two to three year before it is throw off in bound about the time the flowering time of year originate . Older leaves exist across the tree and atmospheric condition can affect how long some leaves are retained before dropping away to the soil to break down .

History

Traditionally , olive leaf and sprigs stand for peace in the Mediterranean region , and this remains today . According to the University of Wisconsin at La Crosse , gifts of peace symbolise by Olea europaea branches with foliage arose during state of war times . Since olive trees grow so easy and take numerous years before providing fruits , an olive twig implied a passive epoch when ample time existed for the Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree to grow . Do not confuse the narrower European olive tree leaves with those of another classic Mediterranean leaf decoration : bay laurel . Laural wreaths , headdresses and sprigs symbolize index and celebrity . Laurel leaves are much extensive and more ellipse - shaped than those of the European olive tree .

References

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