Is there any survival chance for my Olive?

[Savier0]

I went on holidays for 20 Days and left alone in the sun without watering, which I thought it was okish for this kind of tree.
Some leaves are completely brown, is there any chance they turn green again?
Will it die? If not, any recommendations to make its recovery better?
Thank you

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Dead leaves won’t turn green again. There is a chance the tree is alive and new leaves will grow, but it’s hard to know from the photo. The soil looks retentive, so don’t overwater it, since the need will be less without leaves.

Best to have someone look after your trees when you’re gone for more than a couple days.

 

[Shibui]

The damaged leaves are now dead and will not change back to green but Olives are tough so there's a good chance the tree will grow new buds from the branches or trunk in 2-4 weeks. After really serious dehydration the branches and trunk might die but new shoots may still grow from the base of the trunk.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Olives are extremely tough trees and will come back from horrible abuse. They are a Mediterranean species adapted to extreme conditions of heat and drought. They do well in landscape in Southern California where they don't get any water for eight or more months per year.

They like warm, dry conditions. Do not overwater.

 

[Savier0]

Olives are extremely tough trees and will come back from horrible abuse. They are a Mediterranean species adapted to extreme conditions of heat and drought. They do well in landscape in Southern California where they don't get any water for eight or more months per year.

They like warm, dry conditions. Do not overwater.

Was the damage done by lack of water or by long exposure to direct sun? Or both? Should I keep it indoors until it recovers?

 

[Desert O'Piñon]

I'm not an expert, but I know that trees should be kept in conditions that mimic their natural habitat. Don't keep it indoors. Don't over water. As stated by @Bonsai Nut, olives are very drought tolerant. I'm in the US southwest. We've received about 8 inches of rainfall in the past year; my olivecis thriving with water twice a week, in better draining soil than what you have in that pot. Leave it outside, let it dry out (not completely) between waterings. If the roots are still alive, it will recover, though it will have probably lost some or all branches.

 

[Esolin]

Mostly lack of water. Olives can take hot sun as long as they're healthy and getting enough moisture. Leave it outside. As others have said, you've lost the leaves, but the trunk may still be alive. Give it a few months and see if it pushes out new growth. Give it water, but not too much. Constantly muddy, soggy soil can rot the roots and also kill it.

 

[Desert O'Piñon]

Also, it helps to know where you are in the world. You can add that information to your profile.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Was the damage done by lack of water or by long exposure to direct sun? Or both? Should I keep it indoors until it recovers?

Lack of water.

Olives are one of the tree species that I describe as "thriving on neglect". In landscape, the less you do to them the healthier they get. If you have problems with olives in the SW, it is usually associated with over-watering or over-fertilizing. I have seen olives brought in for landscaping, in the middle of the summer (wrong time of year), dropped into the ground, and they lose all their leaves. They sit and pout for almost a year... and suddenly a year later (in early summer) they push new growth. So don't panic.

However a tree in a pot is not the same as a tree in the ground. You have to protect the roots from becoming bone dry. Not dry-ish. Not semi-dry. Bone dry. So don't over-water and kill it with kindness. But also don't let the tree COMPLETELY dry out.

You will be helped greatly if your olive is in the proper soil mix. They prefer inorganic mixes without a lot of organics (like most Mediterranean species). If your olive is planted in garden soil, it becomes more difficult to water properly because the soil has a tendency to stay too wet and not allow enough air into the mix. So as you continue to keep your olive, you will want to move it away from garden mixes.

Your other question about sun - yes keep it in the sun. It should recover with proper watering, and it will need the sun to get strong and healthy.