15 Wild Olive Tree Seeds (Olea europea sylvestris)

Wild Olive – Olea europaea sylvestris

The Wild Olive, also called oleastre , is the Mediterranean ancestor of the cultivated olive. Very hardy, it embodies the resilience of dry, rocky, and sunny landscapes. A millennial symbol of peace, wisdom, and longevity, it is also prized for its silvery foliage and naturally sculptural form. This  perennial plant forms a small tree with evergreen foliage, thorny branches, and small black or purple olives. It is valued for its resistance , its longevity and its ability to enrich poor soils.

Other names: Oleaster, bastard olive, wild olive, forest olive.

The oleaster is used as a defensive hedge, in bonsai or as a rootstock for the domestic olive tree. Its olives, although very bitter, can be processed after several baths in water or brine. It also makes an excellent melliferous tree and a refuge for local biodiversity.

✅ Growing tips:

• Plant type: Perennial, evergreen tree.

• Hardiness: Withstands moderate frost (down to -10 °C once well established).

• Germination: Long and capricious – cold stratification required for 2 to 3 months (in the refrigerator, between 2 and 5 °C) to break seed dormancy.

• Sowing: To be done in spring, in pots or directly in the ground in a draining substrate (sandy or rocky), at about 1 cm depth.

• Exposure: Full sun, dry or well-drained soil.

• Watering: Light, avoid excess moisture.

🌱 Uses and associations:

• Used to create natural hedges, bonsais , or to restore dry lands.

• Can be grafted to produce edible olives.

• Ideal in permaculture as windbreak or plant for stabilizing poor soils.

• Good companion with rosemary, lavender or the cistus , which share the same needs.

🌿 Symbolism:

The wild olive embodies untamed strength of nature. It also symbolizes rebirth , as it often regrows after being cut or burned. A mythical tree of Mediterranean civilizations, it is also associated with wisdom, peace, and resilience .

Commitment to quality:
At SemiSauvage - Permaculture, we are committed to providing you with the highest quality reproducible seeds. Our seeds are carefully selected, sorted, and packaged without any chemical treatment.

Sale reserved for amateur gardeners seeking quality and authenticity.