Olive tree

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Olive Temporal range: Late Pleistocene to recent, 0.06–0 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N ↓
Olea europaea
Conservation status
Data Deficient  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Asterids
Order:	Lamiales
Family:	Oleaceae
Genus:	Olea
Species:	O. europaea
Binomial name
Olea europaea L.
Distribution map, with Olea europaea subsp. europaea shown in green

The olive tree is a small tree. Its scientific name is Olea europaea. A long time ago, it came from the coastal areas of the eastern Mediterranean, from Syria and the maritime (next to the sea) parts of Asia Minor and northern Iran at the south end of the Caspian Sea. It has been farmed for a very long time. The Ancient Greeks were farming it. They spread the trees to the western part of the Mediterranean.

Olive trees like soil with lots of chalk in it. They grow best on limestone slopes and crags in coastal climate.

1. ↑ Magos Brehm, J.; Draper Munt, D.; Kell, S.P. (2011). "Olea europaea (errata version published in 2016)". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2011. e.T63005A102150835. Retrieved 26 June 2021.