Olive?

[Stenno]

Hi,
Is this an olive or something else? They grow along the sides of the road around here, most are young with green trunks still and have lumpy looking bits along the green branches that have thickened up a little. I came across this one with nice bark, thick trunk and a few roots with the older bark on top too. The base of the trunk is about 16cm across just before the larger roots start.

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Scott.

[Ryceman3]

Yep, that’s an olive!

[Stenno]

Thanks,
Just wanted to double check

[shibui]

Probably African olive (Olea europa ssp cuspidata). From what I read, back of the leaves are greener and fruit smaller and rounder in African olive. We are supposed to have both varieties (European olive Olea europea ssp europa) around here too but I have not yet been able to work out whether any of the ones I've collected are one or the other. I doubt that there is any real difference regarding their use for bonsai.
Down here nearly all have swollen bases and smaller roots. That trunk in your photo has a few larger roots and a narrow trunk so it will be interesting to see what you can do to it - probably lots of carved dead wood to get some taper into the tree?
We have had good success collecting olives any time through spring ( October/ November) and autumn. I suspect that they will survive collecting any time in warmer weather and possibly through winter as well.