Can I grow an olive tree from the stones?

[sally_cinnamon]

Hello all, just read the topic about growing avocado from the stones and wondered if the same could be done with the stones from olives, and would I need to do anything special to it?  I wouldn't expect to get any/much fruit, but would like to have a go anyway...

[sally_cinnamon]

[Robert_Brenchley]

They're incredibly slow-growing and long-lived; I don't know how long it takes before they come into bearing, but there are trees around Jerusalem that are supposed to have been there since New Testament times, and it could be true.

[OllieC]

Olives are soaked in Caustic Soda I think, prior to being boiled then tinned/jarred, so I don't think you're going to have much success with germination. I'd be really interested to hear otherwise though.

I think you need a male & a female to fruit too, but may be wrong about that.

[artichoke]

Olives have complete flowers, so you don't need male and female, like holly. I don't know about germinating fermented/boiled seeds, though.

[saddad]

Me neither but they are designed to come through digestion unscathed so I wouldn't be surprised if they germinate!
???

[sally_cinnamon]

Okay, thought I'd give it a go, so have two in a tub in my airing cupboard to see how they get on.  Also got an avocado stone in there too!  I like a challenge....  :-\

[dandelion]

Don't use olives from a can or jar.  The ones in oil you can buy at the deli counter may be worth a try...

[sally_cinnamon]

Yes, that's where these came from.  No activity yet but suppose it will be a long waiting game seeings how they take so long to grow!

[Ceratonia]

I succesfully germinated about a dozen stones from olives bought from a market stall, last summer. They grew surprisingly fast - maybe 20cm high after 3-4 months, but seem to have slowed down now.