ORIGIN

Europe

COMMON NAME

Olive

BOTANICAL NAME

Olea europaea subsp. africana

Photo source:

IDENTIFICATION

Bushy tree or shrub. Leaves scaly, usually opposite and lanceolate or narrow-elliptic (rounded at both ends, widest in middle) to 110 mm. Appearing pale or slightly silvery beneath, dark green above. Flowers small and 4-12 lobed. Stone fruit, round, 5-8 mm diameter, glossy, green, becoming red and then black.

HABITATS

Open coastal shrub and modified areas near native forest margins. Inshore and offshore islands. Raoul Island.

IMPACT TO BIOTA AND ECOSYSTEMS

Extremely aggressive weed on Norfolk Island and showing similar tendencies on Raoul. Occasional around Auckland City and inner Hauraki Gulf islands. Displaces coastal shrubs and trees.

DISPERSAL ROUTES, VECTORS, INFESTATION SOURCES

Bird dispersed seeds. Often grown as hedges and sold in nurseries.

MANAGEMENT

Physical Control
Hand pull seedlings, break stems and hang nearby to desiccate. Fell larger trees and treat the stump with herbicide.

Disposal
Remove all seeds from felled trees and burn. Felled trees should desiccate and decompose in situ providing the cut end is elevated off the ground.

Recommended Approach
Hand pull seedlings and fell larger trees.

Chemical Control

Biological Control

Recommended Approach
Hand pull seedlings and fell larger trees.

FURTHER COMMENT