Olea europaea

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### Description

Olea europaea, commonly known as the olive tree or true olive tree, is a medium-sized to small perennial evergreen tree that belongs to the family Oleaceae. It has been cultivated as a crop since the 4th millennium BC.

### Habitus and Tribe

The olive tree grows as a richly branched, evergreen tree or shrub, reaching growth heights of 10 to 20 meters (depending on the variety). The wild olive trees are smaller than their cultivated counterparts. Its habitus is characterized by a sturdy trunk with knots, greenish leaves that give rise to zitaceous fruit.

### Leaves and Flowers

The opposite leaves of the olive tree are lanceolated, measuring 2 to 8 cm in length, with a slightly pointed apex. They are whole, glabrous, and dark grey-green on the adaxial surface, pale and densely pubescent on the abaxial surface. The flowers are not described in detail in these sources.

### Fruit

The fruit of the olive tree is zitaceous, with colors varying depending on its ripeness and harvesting periods, ranging from green to yellow to purple-red.

### Economic and Environmental Benefits

The olive tree has been cultivated for thousands of years due to its economic and environmental benefits. Its fruit is a complete food, and from it, olive oil is extracted, which has health, nutritional, and cosmetic benefits. The olive tree has special sanctity in all the Abrahamic religions.

### Origin of the Olive Tree

The origin of the olive tree is not known with certainty. Fossilized leaves of the species have been found, but its exact origin remains a mystery.

### History

The olive tree has been mentioned in many references and numerous studies have been built around it. It has been cultivated as a crop since the 4th millennium BC, making it one of the oldest domesticated plants in human history.