Manzanillo Olive
Best versatile evergreen for gardeners seeking both ornamental beauty and edible harvests.
The Manzanillo Olive is an improved selection known for its compact, rounded habit and finer foliage compared to other landscape varieties. This evergreen tree produces fragrant white flowers in late spring, leading to large, spherical olives with smaller pits, suitable for cooking or preserves. Valued both as an ornamental accent or screen, it also offers edible fruit. It thrives in full sun and adapts well to dry or moist conditions, making it a versatile addition to landscapes or containers. This tree is long-lived, potentially reaching over 300 years, and attracts birds and butterflies.
$24.99
Owner Satisfaction
4.6
/ 5
Category Rank
313
/ 1220
#313 in Trees
Price vs Category Average
-77%
Below average
Mature Height
20
/ feet
Who it's for
- Home cooks seeking high-quality fruit for curing
- Gardeners in arid climates needing water-wise landscaping
- Landscapers desiring timeless Mediterranean aesthetic appeal
Who should skip it
- Beginners unwilling to manage active pest control
- Homeowners wanting to avoid messy walkways and cleanup
- Busy gardeners looking for low-maintenance tree care
Performance breakdown
Ornamental Versatility
Compact habit makes it perfect for both containers and landscape screening.
Edible Yield Quality
Large fruit with small pits offers superior processing for home preserves.
Environmental Adaptability
Thrives across varying moisture levels once established in full sun.
Growth Rate
Slow development requires patience but ensures a long-lived, sturdy structure.
Aesthetic Appeal
Fine foliage and smooth gray bark provide year-round visual interest.
Wildlife Attraction
Fragrant blooms and fruit effectively draw birds and pollinators to gardens.
Key Specs
Mature Height
20 feet
Mature Width
15 feet
Light Needs
Full Sun
Bloom Time
Late Spring to Early Summer
Growth Rate
Slow
Hardiness Zone
7b
Canopy Clearance
1 foot
Features
- Improved, more compact selection with finer foliage
- Produces fragrant white flowers
- Yields large, spherical olives with smaller pits
- Can be used as an ornamental accent or screen
- Fruit is edible when cooked or prepared
- Dark green foliage with grayish green undersides
- Smooth gray bark provides landscape interest
- Suitable for container planting
What customers say
Customers consistently praise the Manzanillo Olive purchased from Armstrong for its exceptional quality and robust health right out of the nursery. Reviewers frequently highlight the tree's reliability, noting how easily it establishes itself and thrives, even in challenging conditions. The strong root systems and vigorous growth translate directly into high confidence for long term success, making this variety a preferred choice for home orchards and landscape design. This plant offers excellent value given its consistent performance.
Know before you buy
Yes, this variety is well-suited for containers due to its compact, rounded habit and slow growth rate. Ensure your pot has excellent drainage and is large enough to accommodate the root system as the tree matures.
No, the olives must be cured or processed before they are palatable. While they are edible, they are extremely bitter when raw and require specific preparation methods to be suitable for cooking or preserves.
At maturity, this tree reaches approximately 20 feet in height and 15 feet in width. You should plan for this footprint to ensure it has enough room to thrive without crowding nearby structures or plants.
Yes, its dense, fine foliage and compact growth make it an excellent choice for a screen. Because it is an evergreen, it will provide year-round coverage, though it grows slowly, so it may take time to reach its full screening potential.
This tree thrives in full sun and is hardy to zone 7b. It is highly adaptable to both dry and moist soil conditions, making it a resilient choice for various landscape environments.
Like any fruit-bearing tree, you may experience some dropped fruit or debris once the olives ripen. If you are planting near a patio or walkway, consider the maintenance required to keep the area clear during the harvest season.
Still have a question?
Ask Hayley anything about this product before you decide.
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$25