Please help. Not sure whats wrong with my indoor olive tree

[Katherine]

Hello,

I purchased an olive tree back in Jan 2021 but it’s still dropping leaves like crazy. Recently, I noticed that it has put out a lot of new growth but all the leaves are staying really really small. Could it have stunted growth? Do you know what might be causing this issue?

 

[Marck]

Greetings, welcome to the Forums.

Is this an Olive (Olea europaea) kept outdoors in full sun? Is it in a container or in the ground?
The photos could be from a room or the edge of a terrace, hopefully an often sunny terrace?

An Olive will want full sun, good drainage, and moderate watering, though a large tree in a small pot could also be chronically under-watered. It will benefit from application of fertilizer in a container.

Also look closely for signs and symptoms of pests. I'm not certain from the photographs, but that odd shine to some leaves seems suspicious.

To review:

• Full sun, keep outdoors
• Regular water and good drainage. Inspect soil and pot for any drainage issues. If in a container don't use a saucer.
• Periodic application of a complete fertilizer.
• Pests? If so, return with sharp macro photos of the evidence.

 

[Katherine]

Hello Marck,

Thank you for the quick response! It is an Arbequina olive tree. It’s in a nursery pot indoors but I do keep it by a large window. I appreciate all the tips! I’ll take it outside and give it fertilizer. Thank you again.

-Katherine