“The olive tree is surely the richest gift of Heaven. I can scarcely expect bread.” - Thomas Jefferson

Seriously, How Old Is My Olive Tree?

We’re taught to never ask a lady’s age but with Mediterranean olive trees, longevity is part of the appeal and “counting rings” isn’t an option for OT owners

When a used car seller tells you the year of the vehicle that’s for sale, it’s no big deal to verify that information with 100% accuracy using a few documents or online resources.

But olive trees are not cars, and the best any non-scientific person can do is to get a rough but adequately accurate idea of how many years a particular tree has had its roots in the dirt.

A SIMPLE, PROVEN TECHNIQUE

The most common way of figuring out an olive tree’s age is by using the trunk-circumference measurement method. The first step in this process is to first identify the tree’s primary trunk.

This might sound easy, but with their multiple-trunk “Hydra’s Head” structure, olive trees make just getting their measurements a challenge.

As a general rule, you want to find the straightest (perpendicular to the ground) part of the trunk, which is always the oldest.

Within this section, use a tape measure to mark a point that is 1.3 meters / 4 feet, 3 inches from where the trunk enters the ground, or about chest-high for most adults.

Then with that same tape, determine the circumference by measuring around the trunk at the height-point you’ve just marked. Be sure the measuring tape is tight around the tree before you register the result.

Remember that number.

AGE EMERGES FROM DATA

So the field work is done, and now it’s time for the nerdy phase of your olive tree age-estimation process.

You’ll need to go online and find a growth rate chart for olive trees. Using the measurement you’ve taken (depending on the chart you use, you might have to convert inches to centimeters), fill in the info, hit ‘calculate’ and see what comes out.

This should get you an age estimate that’s accurate to within a decade or two, and for a tree whose age is typically measured in centuries, this level of resolution should be sufficient for most owner’s needs.

CAVEATS TO CONSIDER

Now that we’ve covered the most widely accepted method of determining the age of an olive tree, there are a couple of important things that you should know about which could affect the accuracy of your carefully-gathered trunk dimensions data.

First, it’s mission-critical that you know the individual tree’s pruning history before any attempt to determine its age. If there is any significant pruning in its past, the main trunk’s shape could have been distorted as a result. This would make it difficult for the average person to determine where the main trunk begins and ends, making that height marker a tough call.

HEALTH HISTORY FACTORED IN

If the tree in question has suffered a serious disease event (generally that’s one which requires professional intervention to cure), it’s growth rate will likely slow down. This would skew your circumference value, which would then lead to a less-accurate age calculation.

Getting hands-on with your olive tree is a great way to experience the many wonders of this legendary evergreen.

CONSIDER YOUR SOURCE

But the best way to ensure age-accuracy of the tree you’ve invested in is to make your purchase from an experienced and reputable specialist supplier who knows the business and respects their customers’ trust and loyalty.

If you find a better deal or tree elsewhere, of course it’s your choice which supplier to trust with your heritage olive tree journey, but please do consider this:

INDUSTRY CREDIBILITY

The age-determination technique you’ve just read about is a longtime industry standard and is observed by all olive tree-growing countries and nurseries worldwide. Be sure to ask your would-be supplier what their advertised tree age is based on. If the answer is anything but the measurement procedure described above then well… you can come to your own conclusions.

Century olive trees are fully age- and provenance-certified, so the old you’re expecting is the old you get.

MONEY DOESN’T GROW ON TREES, BUT…

And now here’s your chance to take advantage of our need to meet sales targets and get in on our limited-offer Grand Opening discount promotion where you’ll find MORE THAN HALF-OFF the regular price on selected Spanish heritage cultivar.

CLICK HERE for more details on this did we mention ‘limited-time’? offer to save BIG and join the worldwide ornamental olive tree community.