Trees with Heritage Character Olives

December 1, 2025

Heritage trees are living links to history, shaping landscapes and inspiring gardeners across generations. Among them, the Olives stand out as timeless evergreens, each with its own story of cultivation, history and charm. We are pleased to have available a range in ages from young 5 year old trees right up to 30+ year old specimen selection of Olive Trees to instantly enhance and add value to your landscape.

A Brief History of the Genus

Olive Frantoio Heritage Collection 800L-1000L

The Olive tree (Olea europaea) has been cultivated for thousands of years, first in Asia Minor and later across the Mediterranean. Its fruit and oil became symbols of peace and prosperity, woven into daily life and ceremony. The Tuscan variety ‘Frantoio’ is especially celebrated, its name meaning oil mill, a nod to its reputation as one of Italy’s finest oil producers.

Spotlight on Olea ‘Frantoio’

Origin: Tuscany, Italy
Evergreen with silvery foliage, white flowers and Autumn fruit ripening from green to purple-black and is suitable for oil
Self-fertile, frost tolerant and highly regarded for stable, premium-quality oil
Mature trees develop characterful trunks and airy canopies, ideal for avenues or feature plantings and courtyards

Olive Leccino supplied to Pak ‘n’ Save, Queenstown

Olive Frantoio 30+ year old (1000lt Heritage Collection) with Mel – Easy Big Trees Office Entrance

Olive Frantoio 20+ year old in Central Otago as well

Olive Frantoio (1000lt Heritage Collection) with George

A New Zealand Heritage Story

Olives have taken root in New Zealand’s own heritage. Historic plantings on Motuihe Island, believed to date back to the 1840s, are linked to Sir John Logan Campbell, one of Auckland’s founding figures. These early groves remind us that olives are not only Mediterranean icons but also part of New Zealand’s horticultural story.

In more recent times, Olive trees have been planted as living memorials, such as those in New Plymouth’s Brois Street Reserve, where each tree honours a worker lost on the job. These plantings show how heritage trees can embody remembrance while also enhancing public spaces.

From Tuscany’s oil mills to East Asia’s fragrant gardens and into New Zealand’s own heritage landscapes, Olea ‘Frantoio’ stands as enduring symbols of beauty and tradition. Whether admired for their oil, their fragrance, or their cultural stories, these trees remind us that every planting contributes to something greater creating a world of beauty that connects past, present and future.

END OF THE YEAR HOURS:

Office hours:
Last working day 18th December.
Back on 5th January.

Delivery:
North of Christchurch will be the 10th of December.
Christchurch will be the 17th of December.
Central will TBC or a case by case basis.