When Do Olive Trees Fruit in Australia?

Olive trees are valued not just for their beauty but also for their fruit, which is used for table olives and high-quality olive oil. In Australia, timing your expectations for flowering and fruiting is essential to ensure healthy harvests. Understanding when olive trees produce fruit helps gardeners plan pruning, fertilising, and harvesting cycles more effectively.

In Australian conditions, olive trees typically flower in spring (October–November) once temperatures warm. Fruit begins to set shortly after pollination and continues to develop over the summer months. The olives gradually change colour from green to purple or black as they ripen, with harvesting usually taking place from April through June, depending on the region and variety.

Young olive trees take time to establish before fruiting. Seedlings may take up to 7–10 years to produce fruit, while grafted or cutting-grown trees generally begin bearing in 3–5 years. With good care, mature olive trees produce abundant crops every second year, following an alternating “on-year, off-year” cycle common to many fruit trees.

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Factors That Influence Olive Fruiting

Climate: Olive trees require a period of winter chill followed by warm spring conditions to initiate flowering. Australia’s Mediterranean-style climates are well suited.
Age of the Tree: Trees under three years are usually too young to bear fruit. Productivity increases with maturity.
Pollination: Most olive varieties are wind-pollinated, and while some are self-fertile, cross-pollination with another variety often improves yields.
Water & Nutrition: Consistent watering during dry summers and balanced fertilising improve both fruit set and oil content.
Pruning Practices: Regular pruning after harvest ensures sunlight penetration and promotes new fruiting wood for the following season.

For the best results, apply Complete Grow NPK 20-20-20 in early spring before flowering, then again after fruit set. This boosts nutrient reserves, supports healthy blossom development, and encourages higher-quality fruit yields across the growing season.

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FAQs About Olive Fruiting in Australia

What month do olive trees fruit in Australia? Olives begin forming in spring and ripen between April and June, depending on the climate zone and variety.

Do olive trees fruit every year? Yes, but they often follow an alternating cycle of heavy and light crops known as biennial bearing.

At what age will my olive tree start fruiting? Grafted or cutting-grown trees typically bear fruit in 3–5 years, while seed-grown trees may take up to a decade.

What fertiliser helps olive trees produce more fruit? A balanced feed like Complete Grow 20-20-20 Liquid or Powder before flowering and after fruit set helps maximise yields and fruit quality.