Olive tree facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Olive |
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| Olea europaea, Dead Sea, Jordan | |
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Olea
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O. europaea
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| Olea europaea |
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The olive tree is a small tree known for its tasty fruit, the olive. Its scientific name is Olea europaea. This special tree first grew in the coastal areas of the eastern Mediterranean. It came from places like Syria, Asia Minor (which is now part of Turkey), and northern Iran.
People have been growing olive trees for a very long time. The Ancient Greeks were among the first to farm them. They helped spread these trees to the western parts of the Mediterranean region. Olive trees love soil that has a lot of chalk in it. They grow best on limestone slopes and rocky areas near the coast.
Contents
What an Olive Tree Looks Like
A wild olive tree is a small tree or shrub. It can grow to be about 8 to 15 meters tall. Its branches often have small thorns.
The leaves of the olive tree grow in pairs. They are usually 4 to 10 cm long and 1 to 3 cm wide. The top side of the leaves is a dark greyish-green color. The bottom side is paler and has whitish scales.
The olive tree has small white flowers. Each flower has four parts in its outer layer (calyx) and four petals. They also have two stamens and a split stigma. These flowers mostly grow on the wood from the previous year. They appear in clusters from where the leaves meet the stem.
The fruit of the olive tree is called a drupe. It is usually 1 to 2 cm long. Wild olives have thinner flesh and are smaller than the olives grown in orchards.
Uses of Olives and Olive Trees
Today, olive trees are grown for many important reasons:
- The fruit, the olive, is used in cooking. When picked directly from the tree, olives taste very bitter. They are soaked in a special liquid to make them less bitter. After this, they can be used in many delicious Mediterranean recipes.
- Olives are also used to make olive oil. This is a very important type of vegetable oil. It is used for cooking, salads, and many other things.
- The wood from the olive tree is very hard and strong. It is used to make beautiful furniture and everyday items.
- The leaves of the olive tree have some medical uses. Some people believe they can help you relax and sleep better. They are also thought to be good for your immune system. Olive oil is known to be good for your heart and blood vessels. It can also help with how fats move around in your body.
Olive Production Around the World
Every year, about 17.3 million tons of olives are produced worldwide. A large part of this, about 60%, comes from countries in the European Union. The top countries that produce olives are:
Cultural Importance of the Olive Tree
It is believed that the very first olive trees were grown in Syria. The olive tree has a lot of meaning in different cultures and religions.
For example, the branches in the flag of the United Nations are from an olive tree. This shows peace and unity.
In Christianity, the olive tree is a sign of peace. The Bible tells a story where a dove brought an olive branch to Noah. This showed him that the great flood was over.
The olive tree is also the National tree of Palestine.
Images for kids
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19th-century illustrations
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Roman fresco of a woman with red hair wearing a garland of olives, from Herculaneum, made sometime before the city's destruction in 79 AD by Mount Vesuvius (which also destroyed Pompeii).
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frameless
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frameless
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frameless
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Vat room used for curing at Graber Olive House
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Olivewood cookware
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Areas of cultivation in green
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Andalucía, Spain
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Pruned trees in Ostuni, Apulia, Italy
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As an invasive weed, Adelaide Hills, South Australia
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MT}}/year.
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Kaštela, Croatia
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Canneto Sabino, Italy
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Olivo della Linza, 15th century
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A seed-grown sprout
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Cailletier cultivar, with a harvest net on the ground, Contes, France
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Shōdo Island, Japan
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Near Alexandroupolis, Greece
See also
In Spanish: Olivo para niños
