Arbequina Potted Olive Tree

Arbequina is a lower-growing Spanish olive cultivar valued for its small oil olives and naturally graceful, slightly weeping habit. It is commonly used for oil production; the fruit can also be cured for table use, although its small size makes oil the primary use.

• Botanical name: Olea europaea 'Arbequina'
• Plant form: One potted nursery tree; size varies by season
• Organic status: Not sold as certified organic
• Origin: Spain
• Primary use: Oil
• USDA zones: 8–9
• Sun: Full sun
• Soil: Well-drained soil
• Growth habit: Compact to moderate vigor with a rounded, slightly weeping canopy; often maintained around 12–15 feet in the ground and smaller with pruning
• Pollination: Commonly described as self-fruitful, but another compatible olive flowering at the same time may improve fruit set
• Harvest: Fruit ripens progressively from green toward purple-black; timing varies by climate and intended use

Planting and care

Choose a full-sun site with excellent drainage. Dig a hole no deeper than the root ball and wider than the container. Set the tree at the same soil level it had in the pot, backfill with native soil, and water thoroughly. Keep the root zone evenly moist during establishment without leaving it waterlogged.

Prune lightly to develop a balanced canopy and remove dead, damaged, or crossing growth. Mature size, flowering, harvest timing, and crop size vary with climate, tree age, pruning, pollination, water, and care. Container-grown trees require more frequent irrigation and periodic root and canopy management.

Olives are bitter directly from the tree and must be cured before eating. See our olive growing guide, shop olive trees, or browse all potted fruit trees.