Anyone know if olive trees (kalamata) can be grown in the Houston and how long before they produces fruit? I'm really bummed that the search feature on DG had been taken down(how long they don't say). I use that feature all the time and get so much info.
Olive Trees
I ran across a website on olive trees in Texas because I'm interested in growing some too. I found it again and took a quick look at the site. Under the Education section, it says that the trees need drainage above all else. If you have heavy clay rich soil, you may have a problem. Here's their site.
http://www.sandyoaks.com/index.aspx?r=0
You may want to contact your local AgriLife (cooperative agent) about your soil if it is a problem. Most olive trees need less that 200 chill hours. Of greater concern would the the lows you get. Some olive trees are more cold sensative than others.
Count me in on the olive tree wagon. I've only just started researching but it seems there are some interesting choices for Texas. Thanks for the link, bettydee, I've added it to my favorites link/olive tree project folder. fancyflea, I think I might be interested in the Arbequina olive tree, or possibly Picholine, or maybe both. Need to do more research.
I have grown a Mexican Olive when we lived in Victoria TX and we loved it. It is a fruitless tree but the flowers are wonderful. Don't know the zones for that but I'm about to look it up.
Ann
thanks bettydee, I also put that site in my favorites.
The Antique Rose Emporium's Fall Festival had a speaker on growing olive trees in TX and had some olive trees for sale.
I missed that session so don't have any info to share. You may consider calling the ARE and finding out if the speaker has a website, etc.
Hey, guys, I am growing one olive tree, that I bought in houston, 30 years ago, very, very slow growing! . It was only up to my knees, 8 years ago, when we moved up here to Canyon Lake. We put it in the ground, and it is finally as tall as our carport. My point is, those olive trees are planted for the next generation! We are never going to see one olive on it. Also, I went to a plant shop in San Antonio, that sells olive trees, that produce in 3-5 years, and they are growing fast enough to now be over the garage. , so there is hope I will be able to see some olives. My sister-in-law has already had olives, we bought at the same time. The trees are already 3 years old. There are several olive orchards around the San Antonio area, also, as my sister-in-law had pulled them up on the internet, and we went to them. Also, about the Mexian Olive,It does have olives, as one of the guards at the Alamo gave me 3 off the ground, under a huge olive tree. So I went and bought one, but lost it the first freeze we had. Should have put it in the ground. Just thought I would give you hope. I will try and find the place we bought our olive trees, as well as the place where we went to the orchard here in the hill country. Thanks, Krispi
Thanks, Krispi!
Bob Wells Nursery in Lindale (fairly close to home for me) is listing the Arbequina olive tree. If you could find out what variety of olive tree you have that produces in 3-5 years (hopefully the Arbequina), then I will be in like Flynn! I've done a bit of research on that variety. I found out that it is a small tree and can be kept in a pot or as an espalier. Can't find any info on when it starts to produce fruit other than that it starts producting early. The fruit as small, though, but that doesn't bother me as there is only DH and me now....
Maybe others will have better luck. Probably Texas A&M knows, but that bit of info is just not popping up for me.
Krispi,
The Mexican Olive is an entirely different genus ans species, Cordia boissieri, grown for its white flowers.
http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=cobo2
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/ornamentals/natives/cordiaboissieri.htm
A mature tree is supposed to be hardy as far north as San Antonio. Small ones would have to be protected for a few winters. There is one in from of the Alamo. It's size varies depending on how it has fared over winter. About 2 weeks ago I saw a fairly large one in a neighborhood in Austin, but it could be in a warm microclimate. It was on the south side of the house. I have one, but it is a pot and overwinters in the greenhouse.
Terri, Arbequina is supposed to be one of the hardier olive varieties.
I looked it up and it takes from 3 to 5 years depending on how old it is when you buy it.
They seem to be labor intensive if you want fruit because they bear fruit on year old wood only and don't produce fruit on wood that has borne fruit before. Also not that they prefer dry conditions and are prone to fungal diseases in areas with high humidity. This means having a fungal spraying program in place.
http://www.crfg.org/pubs/ff/olive.html
http://www.growquest.com/Fruit%20trees%20-%20better%20plant/Arbequina%20Olive%20Tree.htm
http://www.bayflora.com/olivetrees1.html
Thanks for the info, Bettydee.
Since I'm interested in espalier anyway, Arbequina may be the choice for me. I'll have to check into the spraying aspect. We'll see what they say at the nursery when I go.