The trunk of the olive tree

Gnarled trunks only come with age

Young olive trees still have a straight trunk with a smooth bark. The known gnarled individuals with the fascinating trunks have usually been around for many decades, if not even centuries or even millennia old. This is related to the special growth habit of the olive, because its trunk revolves around itself over the years. In addition, it is not uncommon for a tree - even after many years - to split into several trunks. Basically it can be said: the older the tree is, the more gnarled it grows.

Trunks of old trees are mostly hollow

At a young age, the trunk of an olive grows about one centimeter in circumference per year. Olives grow extremely slowly and are usually not particularly high: In the wild or in the wild. on plantations, the tree usually reaches a height of up to 15 meters - but in many cases less. Instead, the trunks get wider and wider and are also hollow on the inside. Numerous depressions, adhesions and even holes in the trunk are not uncommon. Such characteristics belong to the essence of the olive and are not to be seen as signs of illness.

If you are watering or pouring room olives If you have an olive tree in your garden, you should avoid reservoirs in the adhesions and depressions of the trunk. Such accumulations of water quickly lead to rot and can thus impair the health of your tree - therefore keep the trunk as dry as possible.

Wrap the trunk with a coconut mat in winter

The olive is used to a dry and hot climate and therefore does not tolerate frost. For this reason, you should protect your tree from the cold in winter. At best, wrap the trunk around it with a plant heater (looks like a chain of lights) and on top with a thick coconut mat. Don't forget to cover the roots as well as the crown.

What to do if the bark flakes off

If your tree gets too much frost, the bark can come off or burst open. Young specimens that are not yet heavily lignified are particularly susceptible to this. Seal the wound (s) with a bark balm (Lac Balsam, so-called "artificial bark") and wrap bast around the area. Make sure, however, that fungus growths have not yet spread. Patentkali ensures that your tree lignifies better and faster.

Tips & Tricks

When buying an olive, make sure that it is attached to the trunk and branches there are no cell growths. This olive crab is made by the bacterium Pseudomonas syringae or Acrobacterium tumefaciens and mainly attacks young trees. The tree cancer cannot be treated and the trees will die within a few years.