How to propagate an olive tree
Olive propagation has more than one route. RHS lists spring seed and summer semi-ripe cuttings, while an Arizona account roots cuttings taken after fruit set.
Choose a viable cutting, division, offset or seed
What plant material to use
RHS lists seed in spring at 13–15°C and semi-ripe cuttings in summer. The University of Arizona describes cuttings just after fruit set, while a California trial used terminal, semi-hardwood and hardwood wood from the cultivar Swan Hill. Timing and wood type vary by source and cultivar.
Follow the method for this plant
How to propagate this plant
- Species-level evidence supports seed or semi-ripe and softwood stem cuttings. The University of Arizona specifies a sand-and-peat mix for cuttings, and notes that hard-to-root cultivars may be grafted onto hardy rootstock. The medium and grafting note come from outdoor arboretum practice.
- RHS describes seed germination at 13–15°C and, under glass, full light in John Innes No. 3 with added sharp sand. In the Swan Hill trial, cuttings used sand-peat or peat-perlite under intermittent mist with about 70°F bottom heat. These are different, bounded contexts.
- In the Swan Hill experiment, take a terminal or semi-hardwood cutting, optionally wound the basal section, apply a five-second IBA quick dip, and stick it in sand-peat under intermittent mist and bottom heat. The exact sources do not provide a generic household insertion depth.
Check visible progress before moving the plant
Signs of roots or failure
In the Swan Hill report, roots formed in each of five lots at 80%, with 60–80% in ten other treatments. The practical progression was visible root formation followed by hardening off and transplanting. These figures are not a household prediction.
The Swan Hill report records no rooting in two midsummer trials using 4,000 ppm IBA and says higher concentrations could be detrimental. It also describes algae growth on cuttings and flats as a risk requiring control. These observations are specific to the tested clone and treatments.
Transfer the plant after roots have formed
Aftercare and hygiene
Sources
- Royal Horticultural SocietyPlant profile and How to Grow, including Propagation, lines in the rendered profile.
- North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant ToolboxCultivars, propagation strategy, and plant traits, lines 48-108.
- University of Arizona Campus ArboretumCultivation Notes and propagation, lines 260-267.
- University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, California AgricultureRooting Cuttings of Swan Hill Fruitless Olive, abstract and Propagation/1969 Experiments, PDF pages 1-2, lines 0-30 and 63-114.