Arbequina Olive Tree
Genus: Olea
Species: europaea
Cultivar: Arbequina
I've had my Arbequina Olive Tree for about four years now. They are cold hardy, don't have many pest or diseases. It's an easy keeper and a beautiful tree. The only problem I've had is the last two winters here in Central Florida were mild with only a little over 100 chill hours* , so there was no fruit set those years. This winter we had over 200 chill hours* and I have flowers this year, so I expect some fruit this year.
Flowers on the Arebequina Olive Tree
Facts:
Needs 200-300 chill hours [1] *
Blooming Season: February-March [2]
Ripening Season: September-October [2]
Height: 20' [2]
Flowers:
Small and white
Fertilization:
Fertilize in March, May and August. I use a mix of Bionutrients AG 8-1-9, Neptune Harvest 2-4-1 and Molasses.
Prune:
Dormant season which usually starts in October in central Florida zone 9B.
Diseases:
None that I have seen.
Pests:
Have seen Leaf-footed bugs and Katydids, but don't seem to do much damage.
Conclusions:
This a beautiful tree with small evergreen leaves. In zone 9B in Central Florida it will not always get the necessary chill hours for fruit set. However, it is still a aesthetically pleasing weeping tree that has very little issues as far as pest and diseases.
*The chilling requirement of a fruit is the minimum period of cold weather after which a fruit-bearing tree will blossom. It is often expressed in chill hours, which can be calculated in different ways, all of which essentially involve adding up the total amount of time in a winter spent at certain temperatures. [3]
Reference: