OLIVE / Olea Europaea 'Manzanillo'

Manzanillo Olive tree / Manzanillo

Botanical Name: OLIVE / Olea europaea 'Manzanillo'
Family: Oleaceae
Origin: Mediterranean (Spain)
Plant Type: Evergreen tree (can be kept shrub-sized by clipping)

Overview

A benchmark table olive that loves Adelaide and South Australian conditions. ‘Manzanillo’ brings classic Mediterranean looks—silvery, olive-green foliage and a neat, shapely canopy—with reliable crops in our warm, dry summers. Tough, heat- and coastal-tolerant, it’s equally at home as a feature tree, clipped hedge or productive pot on a sunny patio.

Key Features

• Mature Size: 4–7 m H × 3–6 m W unpruned; easily maintained at 2–3 m by regular clipping
• Growth Rate: 20-40 cm per year under good conditions
• Foliage: Narrow grey-green leaves with silvery undersides; fresh pale green new growth; can show soft olive/bronze tints in heat or cold snaps
• Flowers: Small creamy-white sprays in late spring (wind-pollinated)
  
• Fruit: Green → purple-black olives late summer–autumn in SA; partially self-fertile, but heavier crops with a polliniser (e.g., ‘Kalamata’, ‘Frantoio’) nearby
• Seasonal Interest: Year-round silver foliage and sculptural branching; spring bloom; autumn fruit; attractive bark and winter silhouette
• Wildlife Value: Light incidental insect interest on flowers; birds may take fruit (net if needed)
• Tolerance: Drought-Tolerant (once established), Heat-Tolerant, Coastal-Tolerant (salt & wind), Wind-Tolerant, Frost Hardy once established; Clay-Tolerant if well-drained
• Planting Density: Hedge/row: 1–1.5 m apart (clipped). Specimen/avenue: 3–5 m apart
• Pet Friendly: Generally non-toxic; avoid pet access to pits (choking/GI hazard)

Where It Works Best

• Sunlight: Full sun (6+ hrs/day) for compact growth and fruiting
• Soil: Well-drained loam, sandy loam or improved clay; thrives on limestone/alkaline soils
• Water Needs: Establishment: 2 deep soaks/week for 8–12 weeks. Established: deep soak every 2–3 weeks in summer (weekly in heatwaves); rarely in winter if dry
• Maintenance: Prune after harvest or late winter to shape and open canopy; light summer tip-prune if hedging. Feed in early spring; add dolomite/lime if soil is very acidic
• Lifespan: 50-100+ years
• Climate Zones: Suited to temperate & Mediterranean SA gardens, including coastal Adelaide
• Soil pH: Acid, Neutral, Alkaline (best neutral → mildly alkaline)

Landscape & Design Ideas

• Feature tree for courtyards/lawns—uplight the trunk for a Tuscan feel in Adelaide gardens
• Productive hedge/driveway row—clip to 2–3 m for a narrow, silver screen with olives to harvest
• Mediterranean grove or hot verge—low-water statement planting that thrives in SA summers

Why You Will Love It

‘Manzanillo’ gives you year-round silver beauty and edible harvests in a tree that thrives on South Australian sun and low summer rainfall. It’s water-wise, long-lived and adaptable—perfect for Adelaide backyards wanting both style and substance from a single, hard-working plant.