AusBonsai

Hi guys,
thought I'd share a photo of my Olive which bares fruit each Autumn. Quite small fruit as it is a collected wild olive "Olea Europia" and as you know is related to the humble privet.
While I'm at it I thought I'd post a few progressive photos.
The tree originally collected in about 1999 in the Hunter Valley, stands about 600mmm tall and is in the slanting style.
cheers
Dave

Nice olive Dave

thats cool as dave!

Great progression Dave. Do you have any pictures of the styling between 99 and 04?
It's amazing to see ripe fruit on it. Are you going to pickle them?
S.

Hi guys
unfortunately no photos during that period Steven, which is a shame.
We should be diligent in keeping regular photos,especially before and after shots.
Had our regular monthly Bonsai bash today and failed to take a photo of a mate's raw Juniper before I styled it and it turned out brilliant.
cheers
dave

That is a nice looking tree Dave, shame about the photos... I'm sure there will be many more trees to pic

Elias

Dave,
Love this tree, especially the trunk line and that base. You have got amazing growth outa this thing in the relatively short time your had it. Leaf size has reduced really well.
again love the tree and quite keen on the current pot also

p.s how does the fruit taste?

Excellent work Dave the foliage is developing really well! Nice to see it fruiting also. Keep up the great posts of excellent trees!

Scott

Hi guys,
I have received PMs with olive recipes thank you all.
As you all know only leaves reduce in size on bonsai, not fruit or flowers, so these small Olives are in keeping with the size of the tree.
cheers
Dave

After getting a hurry up on this post. I thought I would look up what the fuss was about!. Very elegant tree Dave.
May I ask what your feeding regime is with this tree?.
Do you defoilate for leaf reduction? or is this particular species a small leafed variety.
I have moved on most of my olives I only have a couple of shohin sized ones left. Pup

I too think this is an excellent bonsai and would not look out of place in a well known australian national collection.

Hi pup,
this particular Olive has what we consider a large leaf compared to others collected from the same region. No I don't defoliate Olives, but having said that, The inside of this tree is a bit sparce and I am considering a hard cut back next Spring.
When I repot, I use some 9 month slow release osmocote mixed in with the potting mix.
I don't fertilize near as often as some others, probably about 4-5 times a year max.
Beginning Spring, I use a high nitrogen fert like maxicrop or miracle grow in conjunction with Seasol and superthrive, thereafter using a low nitrogen, high P & K ( Bloom booster) by manutec, also with seasol and superthrive.
Beginners NOTE Aussie Natives have different needs (NO PHOSPHOUROUS)
cheers
Dave

Hi All
I'm not an olive grower (large or small trees). I have helped at that 'well known national collection' that is graced by three 'olive bonsai'. Many visitors have asked whether they will fruit. I've said I don't know, but that there is no reason not too, unless the pruning regime prohibits the production of flowers. How do you prune with respect to producing the flowers/fruit, Dave?

Olives vary enormously with respect to leaf size. Most of what is growing in Australia appears to be the 'European olive' (Olea europea subsp europea). The African olive (E.e. subsp africana) is a subspecies of the the former, and although it can have smaller leaves than the European olive, the range of leaf sizes overlaps considerably. There are slightly more reliable characters such as the colour of the underside, especially the hairs, and whether the tip is hooked or not.

From watching the olives in the Collection, what I see is that within the variation of leaf size between different trees, on any one new branch, the first leaves produced are genetically smaller than the next pair, and the next pair. So, if you tip prune after the first pair has been produced, you will only have small leaves left on your tree. If you let the branch grow out a bit more, you will get small leaves at the base of the shoot and progressively bigger ones until you get a pair that are full-size. Maybe some of you who grow these trees might have observed something different?

Cheers
Kunzea

i haven't seen fruit on bonsai olives before. I have a collected stump that looks just like the first photo.
At the moment it's just a stump but it's good to know what it can look like in years to come.

Any update on this particular tree? The olive trunk I recently collected is very similar to this one!.... Just need about 10 yrs now!