Side by side
Olive tree or oleaster? How to tell them apart
Olea europaea · Elaeagnus
How to tell them apart – olive tree: evergreen tree with narrow, leathery leaves that are silvery grey underneath, and a gnarled trunk; oleaster: alternate leaves with rust-brown scales underneath, flowers in autumn.
How do you recognise them?
- Olive tree
- Evergreen tree with narrow, leathery leaves that are silvery grey underneath, and a gnarled trunk.
- Oleaster
- Evergreen shrub with leathery leaves that are silvery-scaled underneath; fragrant little flowers in autumn.
- Compared with olive tree: alternate leaves with rust-brown scales underneath; flowers in autumn.
| Olive tree | Oleaster | |
|---|---|---|
| Leaves | Opposite, 4–8 cm, narrowly lance-shaped, untoothed and leathery; grey-green above, silvery below from tiny scales. | Alternate, oval, 5–10 cm, untoothed; dark green above, silvery white below with rust-brown scales. |
| Flowering | Small, creamy-white, fragrant flowers in small clusters, in June (June). | Small, silvery-white, very fragrant flowers in October–November (October–November). |
| Fruit | Olives: green at first, purple to black when ripe and inedibly bitter when fresh. In our climate they rarely ripen properly. | Small, red, edible berries in spring. |
| Bark | Grey; old trees develop a contorted, twisted and often hollow trunk. | Young shoots covered in brown scales. |
| Shape and height | Fruit tree, 4–8 m | Shrub, 2–4 m |
| Site | Full sun, any garden soil, dry | Sun to shade, any garden soil, dry to wet |
| Native to Belgium | No, planted | No, planted |
| Good for bees, butterflies and birds | Little | Yes, for bees and birds |
| Poisonous to people and pets | Not known to be poisonous | Not known to be poisonous |
| Pruning months | April–May | May–June and August–September |
What does it mean for your garden?
- Choose what suits your soil, your light and the space you have: see the growing conditions in the table.
Read on
- Plant profile: Olive tree
- Plant profile: Oleaster
- Olive tree: when and how to prune
- Oleaster: when and how to prune
- Identification key
Also looks like
Identify by feature
This comparison is compiled from the Bladwijzer species pages.