Wild Olive -10 Seeds

Wild Olive (Olea europaea ssp. africana) is regarded as a small-fruited subspecies of the commercial olive. It is an evergreen tree with a dense spreading crown of glossy grey-green to dark-green foliage. It is frost, drought tolerant and can be grown in full sun or partial shade.

The tree produces sprays of tiny, lightly scented white to greenish flowers which are followed by small, spherical, thinly fleshy fruits which ripen purple-black. The fruits are popular with people, birds and animals alike. The leaves can be used as a substitute for tea and the tree also has medicinal uses.

Common names: wild olive, olienhout (Afr.), mohlware (NSotho, SSotho), umnquma (Zulu, Xhosa, Swati), mutlhwari (Venda), motlhware (Tswana)

Medicinal Uses
Traditional remedies prepared from this plant serve as eye lotions and tonics, lower blood pressure, improve kidney function and deal with sore throats. The early Cape settlers used the fruits to treat diarrhea.

Growing Wild Olive

Indoor Sowing: Spring and Summer.
Direct Sowing: Summer.

• Soak seeds in water for 24 hours before planting.
• Sow the seed in river sand.
• Place the container is a warm area and keep the soil moist.
• Seed germination in about 2 weeks, but can take longer.