Plant Care Guides / Outdoor & Coastal / Trees
Indigenous | Easy Care | Tree
The false olive is one of the fastest, toughest screening trees available for coastal gardens, and it should be on the shortlist for any new garden in St Francis Bay. It is an evergreen tree with narrow, silvery-green leaves that look like olive foliage (hence the name), beautifully textured, almost woven-looking bark, and masses of sweetly scented, creamy-white flowers from August to January that are an absolute magnet for bees, butterflies, moths and the birds that feed on them.
It is drought-resistant, frost-hardy, wind-tolerant, copes with poor soil, has a non-invasive root system, and grows at close to a metre a year, which means it delivers screening and privacy faster than almost any other indigenous tree. It also clips beautifully into a dense, formal hedge.
Up to 10 m in warm, moist areas. Typically 4 to 5 m on the coast, easily kept smaller.
Fast. Up to 800 mm to 1 m per year.
Screen, windbreak, hedge, pioneer tree for a new garden, wildlife-attracting feature. One of the best first trees you can plant.
Full sun to semi-shade.
Grows in most soils. Prefers well-drained, slightly acidic soil, but adapts to sandy coastal conditions with added compost. Non-invasive roots.
Very water-wise once established. Water regularly for the first year or two, then it needs very little. In very hot summers, an occasional deep soak helps.
Added compost improves performance. A feed in spring while young is beneficial but not essential.
Prune after flowering to keep tidy. It can become woody if left alone, so an annual shape helps. It clips well into a formal hedge. Cut back hard if it gets leggy; it resprouts readily.
Ask about availability. We keep a changing range of trees and large shrubs. WhatsApp us to check what is currently in stock, or visit the nursery and we will help you choose the right tree for your spot.
