Everything You Need to Know About Arbequina Olive Trees

Arbequina olive trees are low-maintenance, producing bumper crops of antioxidant-rich, versatile black olives as early as their second year after planting.

Written by Brenda Woods Updated 05/22/2024

Arbequina olive trees produce meaty, black, antioxidant-rich fruit that you can use in a variety ways. According to the Olive Oil Times, 78% of all olive acres planted in California are Arbequina olives. A popular olive choice, you can plant these olive trees in your yard or keep them in a container, moving them inside during colder weather. In this article, we’ll explain how to care an olive tree, where they thrive, and when to harvest your olives.

Arbequina Olive Trees at a Glance

Self-pollinating

Can produce fruit in 2–4 years

Bumper crop of antioxidant-rich olives perfect for oils

Cold-hardy down to 22 degrees Fahrenheit

Fragrant, creamy white flowers

Drought-resistant

Appearance

Arbequina olive trees have weeping branches with shiny, silvery-green leaves that retain their color year-round in warm climates. They grow to be 15–20 feet tall at maturity with an 8–12-foot spread. Their small, fleshy olives emerge green before transitioning to a light pink, then ultimately turn glossy black when they’ve ripened on the tree and are ready to be harvested.

Arbequina Olive Tree Specifications


Appearance	Weeping branches with silvery-green foliage that retains color year-round in warm climates. Small olives transition from green to pink then black when they’ve ripened.
Height	15–20 feet
Hardiness Zones	Zones 8–10 outdoors, Zones 4–7 on patio/indoors
Type of tree	Semi-deciduous
Sunlight requirements	Full sun to partial shade
Soil composition	Highly adaptable, prefers alkaline and well-draining

Hardiness Zones

USDA Hardiness Zones indicate the regions where different types of plants thrive across the country based on minimum relative winter temperatures. If planted outdoors, Arbequina olive trees flourish in Zones 8–10. If planted in a container, they can remain outside in Zones 4–7 until winter, when they should be brought inside.

Planting Tips

Arbequina olive trees should be planted in fall or early spring. If planted outside, choose a location that receives full sunlight to partial shade and good soil drainage. The preference is for at least six hours of direct, unfiltered sunlight per day. They are self-pollinating and will yield fruit with just one plant, but planting a second will boost their yield. If you choose to plant more than one, make sure they are 8–12 feet apart from each other, measuring from their trunks.

Remove any weeds or turfgrass and clear away any debris from the site. Dig a hole that is roughly twice the width of the root ball. Backfill the hole with soil, then water gently to settle the roots.

Quick Tip

If you choose to plant your Arbequina olive tree in a container, choose a pot that has drainage holes for watering and that is about two times the width of the container your tree arrived in.

Growing Conditions

Arbequina olive trees are low-maintenance, able to tolerate many different soil types and a range of sunlight, and are able to withstand temperatures as low as 20 degrees Fahrenheit.

Arbequina olive trees thrive in full sunlight, when they receive at least six hours of direct, unfiltered sunlight per day. They can also tolerate partial shade, but this may reduce their overall crop yield.

These trees are able to tolerate a wide variety of soil, but they prefer well-draining, alkaline soil. But they can do well in a range of soil types, from sandy to loamy to clay.

To boost your crop, feed your tree twice a year, in spring and fall, with a slow-release, nitrogen-rich fertilizer.

Although Arbequina olive trees can tolerate drought, they should be watered regularly when first planted to help establish a deep, healthy root system. For the first few weeks after planting, water your Arbequina olive tree twice weekly.

After that, you can reduce watering to once every week to 10 days. You don’t want to water soil that is already moist. Test the level by inserting your index finger into the soil to at least 2 inches down. If the soil feels dry, you need to water.

Arbequina olive trees do not need to be pruned, but they respond well to it. If you decide to prune, do so at the leaf nodes at the end of winter but before the tree has started flowering. Pruning can be good for increasing light penetration, opening up the canopy, and boosting your harvest. You should always prune dead or diseased branches.

Arbequina olives are small, fleshy, and meaty, with small pits. Your tree will begin fruiting within 2–4 years. The olives ripen on the tree, and you can tell when they’re ready when they become glossy black. Arbequina olives do not all ripen at once. The earliest ones are ready to harvest in November. Arbequina olives have a high concentration of oil, which is fruity and aromatic, making them an excellent choice for creating your own olive oil.

Our Conclusion

Arbequina olive trees produce black olives that you can use in salads, eat as a snack, and use to make olive oil. These olive trees thrive in Zones 8–10 if you plant them outside, but you can grow them in Zones 4–7 in a container, bringing them inside when the weather drops below 20 degrees Fahrenheit. We recommend you place your olive trees in an area with six hours of direct sunlight, but you can still reap an olive harvest if they’re in partial shade. Water your olive tree every week and prune before the tree flowers in spring.

FAQ About Arbequina Olive Trees

Can you eat Arbequina olives?

Yes, you can eat Arbequina olives. They are fleshy, meaty black olives that you can eat as a snack, use to make oil, and more.

How quickly do olive trees produce fruit?

Your Arbequina olive tree will start producing fruit within 2–4 years of planting.

Do the olives ripen after you pick them?

No, you pick the olives off the branch of the Arbequina olive tree when they are black and ripe.

Do you need two olive trees to get crops?

No, you do not need two olive trees to get crops. Arbequina olive trees are self-pollinating, so you only need one to get fruit. However, planting another olive tree will increase your harvest.

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