Olive (Olea europaea)

The cultivated olive tree is a medium-sized tree, about 4 to 8 m tall depending on the specie. It can stay alive and productive for hundreds of years. The trunk is thick and the bark is gray to grayish green.The shape of the tree is greatly influenced by the agronomic and environmental conditions during its growth and, in particular, by the type of pruning. The olive tree shows a great genetic morpho-plasticity.The flowers of the tree are grouped up to 40 in clusters. They are bisexual flowers or polygams with four white petals and two anthers in inflorescences.The fruit, or drupe, is very oily, with 1 to 3.5 cm long. It is green during the beginning and then becomes vinous black.