Frost- drought- and wind-resistant, the wild olive has beautiful wood for
furniture, and is regarded as a small-fruited subspecies of the commercial
olive.
Description
Olea europaea subsp. africana is a neatly
shaped evergreen tree with a dense spreading crown (9 x 12 m) of glossy
grey-green to dark-green foliage. Leaves are grey-green to dark-green above and
greyish below. The rough, grey bark sometimes peels off in strips.
Sprays of tiny,
lightly scented white to greenish flowers (October to February) are followed
(March to July) by small, spherical, thinly fleshy fruits (either sweet or sour)
which ripen purple-black.
Natural distribution
This tree is found in a variety of habitats,
often near water, e.g. on rocky hillsides, on stream banks and in woodland
(where it can reach 12 m). It is widespread in Africa, Mascarene Islands,
Arabia, India to China.
Name derivation
The Latin name for olive is olea;
europaea = from Europe, and africana = from Africa. There are four
species of Olea in South Africa.
Ecology
The fruits are popular with people, monkeys, baboons,
mongooses, bushpigs, warthogs and birds (e.g. redwinged and pied starlings,
Rameron pigeons, African green pigeons, Cape parrots and louries). Leaves are
browsed by game and stock. This tree is an asset on farms and game farms,
especially in very dry areas because it is extremely hardy and is an excellent
fodder tree.
Uses and cultural aspects
A tea can be made from the leaves. The
hard, heavy and beautiful golden-brown wood is used for furniture, ornaments,
spoons and durable fence posts. An ink is made from the juice of the fruit.
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 diarrhoea
. 
Growing Olea europea subsp. africana
Propagate it from seed or from hardwood cuttings. Sow fresh seed in river
sand. Treat cuttings with a rooting hormone. The slow-growing frost, drought and
wind-resistant wild olive makes a good shade or screen plant in the home garden,
on golf courses and elsewhere. It is popular for bonsai, street planting, and
for use at schools, office complexes, and in parks. It is perfect for dry areas
where it is an excellent fodder plant for stock and game and it has also been
used to stabilize erosion dongas/ditches.
Don't plant it too close to walls, patios or swimming pools, the root system
can sometimes be aggressive. Always add plenty of compost to the planting area
and apply a thick mulch layer (organic material, like dried leaves) to protect
the soil surface. Water moderately throughout the year. This tree has a wide
distribution in South Africa and grows in both summer and winter rainfall areas.
It also occurs in very dry areas, and tolerates temperatures ranging from about
- 5°C to 40°C.
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