Olive Tree
Olive trees on Harvey West Boulevard are cracking the sidewalk. 
The large base, can crack sidewalks. You can see small shoots on the base. If not trimmed, they can become separate trunks. 
An olive tree near Wells Fargo Bank. Olea europaea 
These olive trees in Soquel have shed a lot of leaves on the sidewalks. A mild hazard. As a shade tree the olive tree is drought-resistant, it doesn't grow too tall, olive trees are evergreen, and it can be connected to all major religions (not just the Missions in California). On the down side, the shallow roots and widening base will crack sidewalks and parking areas, the olives drop off and will purple-stain cars and sidewalks, and it can be a fire hazard.
There is an Olive Street in Santa Cruz. It was named for a surveyor. It is a family name.
There were a few olive trees on Cedar Street in Santa Cruz. They were replaced in the 1980's with other types of trees. (A ginko tree in one instance.)
History All olives start out as green on the tree. Black olives become black because of the curing. Black olives are called "Mission" because the process originated in California and the first olive trees were brought from Mexico by the missionaries. Santa Cruz Mission did not have olive trees. The first olive trees in the new world originated from trees in Spain. Where in Spain remains a mystery. They have not yet been genetically linked.
Businesses California is known for olive production, it is the only place where black olives are a major product. In this county, the olive tree is noted for shade and ornamental use. There is one commercial olive orchard in Santa Cruz County located in Aptos, that makes olive oil. While California makes over 73,000 tons of olives a year, it is not enough to put the USA in the top 10 world producers.
Tips If you see a black olive on a tree it is actually dark purple. It has received too much sun and is still good for olive oil. Most olive oil is imported. The olive oil industry in California is very small. If you eat an olive off a tree you won't feel good, but it won't kill you. All olives for eating go through some type of processing.
Popular Trivia Occasionally someone will wonder why black olives come in cans and green olives come in jars. Writers love to invent all sorts of tales. Truth is less interesting. The major producers of olives in California use cans. Lindsey Brands sells canned green olives and canned black olives. Most black olives come from California and are canned. Most green olives are imported and they put them in jars. A few smaller makers of flavored green olives in California don't make enough to can, so they also use jars. Since green olives are usually used one at a time, there is little incentive to switch from jars to cans.
 |
This entry is a seed - a starting point for writing a full entry. You can help the Santa Cruz Wiki by expanding it! Simply click on the "Edit" button. |
