Olive Stump in SoCal

[John P.]

I’ve wasted a fair amount of time on young Olea europaea material over the past several years. In general it has become apparent to me that I need to buy more older material.

So when I stumbled across a seller on eBay (who happens to live fairly close to my office) with a ridiculous number of old stumps, I had to bite the bullet. He was great to deal with, too, so that was a bonus.

So much promise in this guy:


At least one root is escaping the drainage hole in the pot, so in addition to branch selection and wiring in the new year, once it warms up I think a repot will be in order; something shallower and wider.


I welcome any thoughts along the way.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

THat is a nice stump, I would be happy to have that on my bench. Nice find.

 

[coh]

I bought a smaller one from him to see how it does under my conditions. He has some interesting olive material (and a lot of it).

 

[Cadillactaste]

Well done! Wonder if it's the same seller I got mine from.

 

[John P.]

@Cadillactaste & @coh ... thanks, the eBay seller is 3m.bonsai. Not sure if he’s here on the forum. I met him at his house, and he has so many amazing stumps, it’s hard to fathom. Really nice guy, too. I felt bad I couldn’t stay for long; he was generous with his time.

 

[vp999]

I been wanting to get one too, do these things have fruits ? Very nice stump!!!

 

[John P.]

I been wanting to get one too, do these things have fruits ? Very nice stump!!!

Would have to let the branches grow out to know for sure, but I’m fairly sure these are fruiting olives.

 

[vp999]

Very nice ...Please keep us updated.

 

[John P.]

Thanks. I just reached out to the seller. Check this one out that he sent:

 

[vp999]

Wow.. That is stunning!!! I wonder what's the price of it ?

 

[John P.]

Wow.. That is stunning!!! I wonder what's the price of it ?

Listed on eBay for $1,587, but local pickup at $1,100. I can send you his mobile if you’re interested.

 

[vp999]

Thanks, but I am on the East coast and I have him saved as " favorite seller " on eBay already. Enjoy it man, simply beautiful.

 

[AJL]

Out of interest do you guys in USA not worry about biosecurity ?- Xylella disease being spread around the country by moving Olive trees around?
Are your growers/ traders required to provide any kind of Phytosanitary certificates with their plants?
Xylella is a massive problem for Olives growers in Europe and can spread to a wide range of other species .... Just curious !

 

[John P.]

Re Xylella ... we just rebuilt our house, and I used Mastic Trees (Pistacia Lentiscus) instead of olive in our landscape for that very reason. I could give up a $200 bonsai much more easily than a $5k USD landscape tree (or $15k USD since we have three).

I love olives but didn’t want the risk.

I checked the European sites about Xylella, and apparently the mastic trees aren’t susceptible.

 

[AJL]

Re Xylella ... we just rebuilt our house, and I used Mastic Trees (Pistacia Lentiscus) instead of olive in our landscape for that very reason. I could give up a $200 bonsai much more easily than a $5k USD landscape tree (or $15k USD since we have three).

I love olives but didn’t want the risk.

I checked the European sites about Xylella, and apparently the mastic trees aren’t susceptible.

I missread your message and I thought you wrote Plastic Trees! Arent they called Pistachios (as in the nut)!!?

 

[John P.]

I missread your message and I thought you wrote Plastic Trees! Arent they called Pistachios (as in the nut)!!?

Haha! Nope, Pistacia lentiscus ... very olive-like:


If you Google them, you’ll see some amazing examples in the Mediterranean. Seems some people have used them as bonsai, too. I’m sure I will air layer or take cuttings this spring. One of the three is barking-up quite nicely (not the one above).

 

[John P.]

Bark:

 

[Cadillactaste]

@Cadillactaste & @coh ... thanks, the eBay seller is 3m.bonsai. Not sure if he’s here on the forum. I met him at his house, and he has so many amazing stumps, it’s hard to fathom. Really nice guy, too. I felt bad I couldn’t stay for long; he was generous with his time.

Same seller. A unique way he sends his trees. But they arrive in tip top shape. Had my postal driver having it up front with them and babying it. With his technique. But it would have done great even without the extra care.

 

[John P.]

Happy New Year, 2020! Ordered a pot for the olive stump:



Made by mc2pottery.

 

[vp999]

Wow ...That is a beautiful pot.