How to Grow, Plant, and Care For Indoor Olive Trees
This is one houseplant that people often buy to add a Mediterranean feel to their rooms. It can be hard to keep olive trees happy inside, especially when it comes to lighting, but I think the beauty they bring to homes is well worth the trouble.
1. Native Area
This is very different from tropical conditions most houseplants like. It does offer an option for houseplant lovers with dry indoor air who may struggle to cultivate other plants without humidity.
2. Characteristics
Homes with minimalist designs choose indoor olive trees for their silvery foliage and delicate appeal. Unlike regular kinds that can grow to 30 feet, dwarf variants are shrubs that stay low to the ground.
3. Where To Buy
Its flowers show that String of Rubies is an Asteraceae. Small daisy-like yellow blossoms. The flower stalks curve upward to suspend the blossoms from the leaves when the plant is hanging.
4. Light
Olive trees like sunlight to partial to full shade, unlike most houseplants. For optimal growth, place them in front of a bright, south-facing window with several hours of direct sunlight.
5. Water
Olive trees need dry, well-draining soil over damp soil. In summer, they develop in dry, low-rainfall environments. Overwatering drought-tolerant trees is bad.
6. Soil
Make sure the dirt drains well and that the pot drains well too so that water doesn't pool around the roots. They do best in soft soil that keeps some water but quickly drains away any extra.
7. Temperature and Humidity
Dwarf olive trees need warmth. Moderate temperatures between 65F and 75F (18C and 24C) maximise growth. Consistency matters too. They can handle moderate temperature changes, but extreme ones cause stress and drop leaves.
8. Fertilizing
Use half-strength balanced liquid fertiliser in spring and summer. Soil nutrient levels are usually maintained monthly. For olive trees that tolerate nutrient-poor soil, I use half-strength doses to avoid overfertilization.
9. Maintenance
Pruning controls tree shape and indoor pests and diseases. Trim dead or broken branches and clip back to shape. Avoid cutting more than one-third of the tree to prevent stress.
10. Propagation
Woody, leafless tops are common on this plant. A sick-looking plant can result. Even when the plant isn't sick, it can seem horrible. Using hairpins to secure stems might help your plant fill out at the top. These stems root in soil like cuttings.