Olive tree (Olea europaea) care

Trees · needs attention to keep

Last updated 26 October 2026

Olive tree (Olea europaea) wants full sun — the brightest window in the house. Water it every 10 days. Water thoroughly when the top half of the pot is dry. Olives would much rather be dry than wet, and need far less in winter. Pot it in gritty, free-draining, loam-based compost. A balanced feed monthly from spring to late summer, and repot every 2 years. Humidity: indifferent; dry air suits it. Not on the ASPCA's list of toxic or non-toxic plants, so we don't call it pet-safe: not being listed is not the same as being tested.

The olive tree: narrow grey-green leaves on twisting branches, now sold everywhere as an indoor tree. It is a sun plant that needs the brightest window you have and dry roots — and indoors it rarely fruits without a cold winter rest.

Quick facts

Water: Water every 10 days. Water thoroughly when the top half of the pot is dry. Olives would much rather be dry than wet, and need far less in winter.
Light: Full sun — the brightest window in the house.
Humidity: Indifferent; dry air suits it.
Soil: Gritty, free-draining, loam-based compost.
Feeding: A balanced feed monthly from spring to late summer.
Repotting: Repot every 2 years.
Toxic to pets: Not on the ASPCA's list of toxic or non-toxic plants, so we don't call it pet-safe: not being listed is not the same as being tested. Keep it out of reach of a pet that chews.
Difficulty: Needs attention.
Mature size: 1–2 m in a pot.
Native to: The Mediterranean.

Watering an Olive tree

Water every 10 days. Water thoroughly when the top half of the pot is dry. Olives would much rather be dry than wet, and need far less in winter.

That cadence is the one PlantParlour sets for this species when you name it, and it is deliberately on the cautious side — a plant that asks a day early is safer than one that asks a day late. Log each watering and the reminder moves with the plant rather than with the calendar.

Light

Full sun, as much as you can give it. An olive is a Mediterranean tree: indoors it needs a south-facing window or a summer outside, and in a dim room it drops its leaves.

Humidity and temperature

Indifferent; dry air suits it. Central heating in winter is what turns a comfortable room into a dry one, and it is the usual reason an established plant suddenly browns at the edges or picks up spider mites.

Soil and potting

A loam-based compost with plenty of grit, in a pot that drains well. Olives put up with poor soil and drought, never with wet roots.

Feeding

A balanced feed monthly from spring to late summer. Stop feeding in autumn and start again when you see new growth in spring — feeding a plant that isn't growing just builds up salts in the pot.

Repotting

Repot every 2 years. Every two or three years in spring, into a heavy pot — an olive in a light pot topples once it has a canopy.

Common problems

Leaves dropping in winter
Too little light, especially in a warm room.

Fix: Give it the brightest window — and a cooler spot in winter if you can, which is when it rests.

Leaves falling off: how to read it on any plant
Leaves yellowing in a wet pot
Overwatering.

Fix: Let it dry out well between waterings and check the pot drains.

Yellow leaves: how to read it on any plant
Never flowers or fruits indoors
It needs a cold winter rest to set flowers.

Fix: A few weeks below about 10 °C in winter — an unheated porch, say — is what most indoor olives are missing.

Propagation

Semi-ripe cuttings taken in summer root slowly under a bag. Most people buy another.

A cutting taken in PlantParlour keeps its link to the plant it came from, so a propagation years later still traces back to the mother plant — which is the point if you ever sell or trade it.

Toxicity and safety

Not on the ASPCA's list of toxic or non-toxic plants, so we don't call it pet-safe: not being listed is not the same as being tested. Keep it out of reach of a pet that chews.

If your pet has eaten a plant, call your vet, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center on (888) 426-4435, or the Pet Poison Helpline on (855) 764-7661. Both are open around the clock and may charge a consultation fee. Take the plant or its label with you.

This is general information, not veterinary advice. We don't test plants: what we say about toxicity follows the ASPCA's published plant list as it stood on 26 October 2026, and that list can change. "Non-toxic" means not poisonous — a pet that eats enough of any plant can still vomit, and fertiliser, pesticide or leaf shine on a plant can harm it. It also only helps if the plant is what you think it is. It covers cats and dogs only; ask your vet about rabbits, birds, reptiles or anything else, and a doctor about children. Read our terms.

Every houseplant in the library the ASPCA lists as non-toxic to cats and dogs

Questions people ask

How often should you water an Olive tree?

Water every 10 days as a starting point — that is the cadence PlantParlour sets for Olea europaea. Water thoroughly when the top half of the pot is dry. Olives would much rather be dry than wet, and need far less in winter. Light, pot size and the time of year all move that number, so treat it as a reminder to go and check rather than a rule.

How much light does an Olive tree need?

Full sun, as much as you can give it. An olive is a Mediterranean tree: indoors it needs a south-facing window or a summer outside, and in a dim room it drops its leaves.

Is Olive tree toxic to cats and dogs?

Not on the ASPCA's list of toxic or non-toxic plants, so we don't call it pet-safe: not being listed is not the same as being tested. Keep it out of reach of a pet that chews. If a pet has eaten part of a plant, call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center on (888) 426-4435 straight away.

How do you propagate an Olive tree?