- Gnarled trunks only come with age
- Trunks of old trees mostly hollow
- Wrap trunk with coconut mat in winter
- tips and tricks
The rustic, impressive trunks of the centuries-old olives are known from Tuscany and other olive-growing regions - these venerable fellows simply belong in the landscapes of the Mediterranean region and offer an impressive sight.
Gnarled trunks only come with age
Young olive trees still have a straight trunk with a smooth bark. The well-known gnarled individuals with the fascinating trunks are usually many decades, if not centuries or even millennia old. This has to do with the special growth form of the olive, because its trunk keeps turning on itself over the years. It is also not unusual for a tree to split into several trunks - even after many years. Basically it can be said: The older the tree is, the gnarled it grows.
Trunks of old trees mostly hollow
When young, the trunk of an olive increases in circumference by about one centimeter per year. Olives grow extremely slowly and usually don't get particularly tall: In the wild or on plantations, the tree usually reaches a height of up to 15 meters - but in many cases less. Instead, the trunks are getting 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 nature of the olive and should not be seen as a sign of disease.
Be careful when watering
If you water indoor olives or have an olive tree in the 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 - so keep the trunk as dry as possible.
Wrap trunk with 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 with a plant heater (similar to a chain of lights) and over it with a thick coconut mat. Also, 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 burst or burst open. Young specimens that are not yet heavily woody are particularly susceptible to this. Seal the wound(s) with a bark balm (Lac Balsam, so-called "artificial bark") and wrap raffia around the area. However, make sure that fungal growths have not yet had a chance to spread. Patentkali ensures that your tree lignifies better and faster.
tips and tricks
When buying an olive, make sure that there are no cell proliferations on the trunk or branches. This olive canker is caused by the bacterium Pseudomonas syringae or Acrobacterium tumefaciens and mainly affects young trees. Tree canker cannot be treated and the trees will die within a few years.