Olive
Olea europaea
Conservation status
Data Deficient (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Unrecognized taxon (fix):	Streptophyta
Order:	Lamiales
Family:	Oleaceae
Genus:	Olea
Species:	O. europaea
Binomial name
Olea europaea L.
Distribution map, with Olea europaea subsp. europaea shown in green

Olive trees near Karystos in Greece

An olive tree

The fruit of the olive tree are called olives.

Marinated olives on a market in Toulon, France

The olive tree is a small tree. Its scientific name is Olea europaea. A long time ago, it came from the coastal areas of the eastern Mediterranean, from Syria and the maritime (next to the sea) parts of Asia Minor and northern Iran at the south end of the Caspian Sea. It has been farmed for a very long time. The Ancient Greeks were farming it. They spread the trees to the western part of the Mediterranean.

Olive trees like soil with lots of chalk in it. They grow best on limestone slopes and crags in coastal climate.