Italian Olive

Bonsai Gallery & Styling by Graham Potter

 

  • Italian Olive

    I adore olives and they grow well for me considering I live in Blighty. I was offered this beautiful example from a supplier in Southern Italy back in 2019 and I grabbed it with both hands.

  • Olive spring 2021

    Fast forward to spring 2021 and time for a hard cut back before the summer growth gets going.

  • Olive bonsai tree spring

    Summer 2021 and my olive is growing like a weed. The hard cut back worked and new growth explodes from everywhere.

  • picture showing deadwood on bonsai tree from Graham Potter's collection

    I have never touched this beautiful deadwood. I just keep it dry over winter. Even the colour is 100% natural.

  • Olive bonsai spring 2026

    Early spring 2026. Leaf mass thinned and pruned back prior to the new seasons growth. I have slip potted it into an epic pot by Master Shui Ming Zhu where it’s likely to stay. Still a long way to go, the tree needs a little elegance and flair. I’m working on that…

For more on growing olives in the UK, see https://www.kaizenbonsai.com/pages/the-olive-tree-as-bonsai