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African and European Olives

African and European Olives
Photo: Jackie Miles
Invasive Plant
African and European Olives
Olea europaea ssp. europaea and cuspidata
 

Hardy, long-lived, evergreen, small to medium trees which produce green or black fruits. African olives produce small spherical black fruits which are only edible by birds whereas European olives produce green and black oval shaped fruits which are harvested for the production of olive oil and table fruit. Unpicked fruit can be spread by wildlife and the resulting seedlings are extremely invasive. Feral olives impact on native vegetation over large areas of Australia.

 

HOW IT SPREADS

  • Unviable production trees left to grow wild produce fruit which is not managed.
  • Fruit is attractive to and spread by birds and small mammals.
 

If you have fruiting olive trees and are not harvesting the fruit then have them removed.

 
 
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Alternative Plants

Dwarf Photinia
Photo: Lorna Rose
Alternative Plant Dwarf Photinia
Photinia glabra 'Rubens'
Trees and Shrubs
 

A dense evergreen shrub to 5 m. New leaves are bright red, showy and mature to dark green. An ideal hedging plant that responds well to pruning. Thrives in full-sun to part-shade.

Olive Leaved Grevillea
Photo: © immij pty ltd
Alternative Plant Olive Leaved Grevillea
Grevillea olivacea
Trees and Shrubs
 

This vigorous Australian native shrub will grow to a height of 3.5 m high by 2 m wide. It is a dense screening shrub with grey-green leaves and bird attracting red, orange or yellow flowers from June to October. It prefers a well-drained soil and has a very low water requirement once established. Frost tolerant and suitable in coastal conditions.

Pineapple guava,  Feijoa
Photo: John Zwar
Alternative Plant Pineapple guava, Feijoa
Acca sellowiana
Trees and Shrubs
 
A small tree with edible fruit in summer from South America. It has attractive star-shaped purple and pink flowers in spring with petals that can be used in sweets and drinks.  The small tree grows to 4.5m in height and the same across and when well fed and watered, can produce up to 200kg of fruit per year.  Prune to develop and maintain shape. They are suited to growing in large containers.  Feijoas tolerate drought and salt spray. 
Swan Hill Olive
Photo: SA DWLBC
Alternative Plant Swan Hill Olive
Olea europaea 'Swan Hill'
Trees and Shrubs
 

This fruitless olive grows to 6 m high by 6 m wide. It was discovered growing in an orchard near Swan Hill Victoria. Grows best in full-sun and freely-drained soils.

 
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