Description
The Leccino Olive Tree is a vigorous variety that can reach sizes of up to 30 feet tall and 20 feet wide. Leccino Olives are early-ripening, with fruit ready to use from October through November. Native to Italy, Leccino Olive Trees can be grown in the ground in USDA Zones 8 to 11, or in a pot in Zones 4 to 11 and overwintered indoors. They prefer at least 6 hours of full sun per day. Leccino Olive Trees are adaptable to a range of soil types from sandy loam with high amounts of gravel, to more dense soil rich in organic matter, as long as the ground drains well.
Leccino Olive Trees that are grown in the ground can reach heights of 15 to 25 feet or larger. When grown in a pot, a Leccino Olive Tree will remain smaller, and can be managed with pruning. The leaves are a silver-green and the trunk and limbs are a pale tan color. This combination makes a striking specimen, particularly when covered in deep black olives.
Olive Tree Care
When planting a Leccino Olive Tree in the ground, select a spot that is at least 10 feet from any building or large established plants. Be sure the location has soil that drains well and receives at least 6 hours of direct sun per day. If you are planting more than one olive tree, locate them within 20 feet of each other for best pollination. Dig a hole at least twice as big as the tree’s root ball and water in well after planting.
Water newly planted trees twice a week, or when the soil is dry down to 2 inches below the surface. Allow new trees to adjust to their new location for at least one month before fertilizing. After you have fertilized the tree for the first time, begin mulching the tree base with shredded tree bark or leaves. Mulch retains ground moisture and controls weeds that can rob water and nutrients from fruit trees.
Fruit & Harvesting
Leccino Olives ripen to a medium-sized, oval, shiny fruit that is green at first, then matures to a beautiful, deep maroon that turns black in the final stages. Trees can be expected to produce olives in 1 to 3 years in the ground or when well-fed in a container. Mature Leccino Olive Trees in ideal conditions can produce as much as 20 to 30 pounds of olives each season.
Leccino Olive Trees bloom in May and the fruit is usually ripe in October. The Leccino Olives can be used when green or black. When harvesting green olives, check the fruit to be sure that the juice when squeezed runs milky. If the juice is clear, then allow the fruit to ripen for another week. Fruit that has ripened to the point of turning black should have milky juice and be ready to eat.
Advice
Leccino Olive Trees are cold hardy down to 10 degrees F, but protection from the coldest temperatures is always a good idea. If planting in the ground, the most important factors are a well-drained location that gets as much sun per day as possible. Beyond these factors, try to choose a spot that has protection from the north wind by planting to the south of a shed, building, or dense foliage.
If you are growing a Leccino Olive Tree in a pot, be sure the container has adequate holes for drainage. Re-pot in a slightly larger larger container every 1 to 2 years until the Leccino Olive Tree is in a 17 gallon or larger container. An olive tree in a sturdy container of this size can remain in its pot for years and produce season after season of delicious olives.
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