Olive Tree of Vouves (Ano Vouves, Greece) Located on Crete, the largest island in Greece, this tree has been estimated by scientists to be 4,000 years old. When this tree was just a seedling, humans of the late Bronze Age were developing new tools like axes and plows to aid in the growth of agriculture.
It is not very common for trees to get that old because trees have to endure a lot, such as forest fires, natural disasters and the rise of human civilization. Most olive trees reach an average age of 100 years old, but olive trees from Spain can easily live more than a thousand years.
The oldest known olive tree is 1500 years old, but the average life span is 500 years. Olive trees are loved for their fruits, eaten fresh or brined and pressed into oil. But not all olive trees bear olives. So called “fruitless” olive trees are sterile and function as beautiful ornamental trees in a landscape setting.
The Olive trees in Israel have been around for centuries if not millennia. The oldest Olive tree in Israel is located in an olive grove in Shefar'am and is estimated t be over 100,000-years-old.
The olive tree of Villastrada – Villastrada (Umbria)
It appears to have been planted in the fifth century BC, so it is about 2,500 years old.
Olive Tree of Vouves (Ano Vouves, Greece)
Located on Crete, the largest island in Greece, this tree has been estimated by scientists to be 4,000 years old.
The Olive tree of Vouves in Crete, Greece is probably the oldest olive tree in the world and it still produces olives. It is confirmed to be at least 2000 years old based on tree ring analysis, but it's claimed to be between 3000–4000 years old!
Christians throughout the world have long revered the ancient olive trees located in the historic Garden of Gethsemane. Many of the trees in the garden are hundreds of years old, but there are some that experts believe could have been standing during the time of Christ Himself.
The average olive tree starts to produce olives at the age of 4-5 years and they will continue to eternity. There are findings suggesting that in some cases 1800 years old trees still produce sprouts. The olive tree responds greatly to irrigation and fertilization, while pruning is necessary at least every other year.
Clearing olive trees is a common tactic used by expansionist settlers to drive Palestinians off their land, destroying their harvests and cutting off their income.
Locals claim the ancient olive tree of Ano Vouves, Crete is the oldest olive tree in Greece. This may be an exaggeration, but at 3,000 to 5,000 years old, it is one of the oldest and most impressive.
Situated at the foot of the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem, the Garden of Gethsemane is known to many as the site where Jesus and his disciples prayed the night before his crucifixion. The oldest trees in the garden date to 1092 and are recognized as some of the oldest olive trees in existence.
Despite the lack of accurate scientific information about its age, both the owner and guardian of the tree and the Palestinian Ministry of Agriculture estimate that it is 4,000-5,000 years old. News articles and academic papers often describe it as the oldest olive tree in Palestine and one of the oldest in the world.
Methuselah is located 10,000 feet above sea level in Inyo National Forest in California. But in an effort to protect the tree from vandalism, its exact location remains a closely-held secret protected by the U.S. Forest Service.
The oldest, “s'Ozzastru”, is in Santu Baltòlu di Karana, close to San Bartolomeo country church. This imposing olive tree has a circumference of around 12 metres and is 8 metres tall, and it is thought to be between 3000 and 4000 years old, making it the oldest tree in Italy and one of the oldest in Europe.
It's estimated that the average lifespan of an olive tree is approximately 500 years.
We are unaware of the exact reason why olive trees live so long. However, we can make some excellent guesses. One reason may be that, since they are sheltered by the soil and protected from mutation, the roots of olive tree simply have no reason to not live forever.
Between 4 and 5 kilos of olives are needed to produce 1 litre of olive oil. The tree's age only affects the quantity produced, not the quality. An olive tree starts to produce between the ages of 5 and 10, and its production starts to decline after it is 100 years old.
Ancient trees: More than 4,400 of these trees are thought to be more than 1,000 years old -- and many are still producing olives. World's oldest?: Researchers at the Technical University of Madrid have found the Farga de l'Arión tree to be 1,700 years old.
Legend has it that Zeus proposed a contest between Athena and Poseidon for the control of Athens. Poseidon smashed his three-pronged trident upon the hard rock of the Acropolis, which unleashed a spring. Whilst Athena, produced an Olive tree, with its silvery-green leaves and abundance of rich fruits.
The olive tree is special to the Christian faith. The Bible contains many references: Jesus prayed under an olive tree on his way to Jerusalem before his crucifixion. He was crucified on an olive wood crucifix made from the olive trees near the garden of Gethsemane in Jerusalem.
Olive is an evergreen plant with a long life, which can be considered as an eternal tree, and if the main trunk of this tree is destroyed, it continues its new life with the growth of branches.
Olives have been cultivated for thousands of years. Indeed, they are the oldest cultivated trees in existance and one of the most important fruit trees in history. The first documented plantings of olive trees may have occurred on the island of Crete and are believed to have been growing around 3500BC.
With his trident, Poseidon struck a rock. Water rushed out of the rock, creating a spring of salty water, symbolizing his gift of sea power. Athena followed by striking a rock with her spear and produced the olive tree, an offering signifying fruitfulness and peace.
The wild olive tree originated in Asia Minor where it is extremely abundant and grows in thick forests. It appears to have spread from Syria to Greece via Anatolia (De Candolle, 1883) although other hypotheses point to lower Egypt, Nubia, Ethiopia, the Atlas Mountains or certain areas of Europe as its source area.