Olives

 O L I V E S = =



P L A N T N A M E - Olives

D O M E S T I C A T I O N - First domesticated near the Mediterranean about 6,000 years ago - The olive tree is one of the oldest known cultivated trees in the world, being grown before written language was invented - Olives have been found in Egyptian tombs from 2,000 years BC - They were spread throughout the early Greeks and then extended their domain by the Romans - In the past several hundred years the olive has made it's way North and South America, Japan, New Zealand, and Australia - The olive trees that stand today on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem, are supposed to be over 2,000 years old - Olive oil had also been created and was a sacred ingredient of the Greeks - It can be traced back to Armenia and Turkestan as early as 4,000 BC

B I O L O G Y - The olive is part of the olive tree - We use the fruit of the tree, known as the olive - For reproduction, the olive tree is a self-pollinator, but when this doesn't occur, wind can transport it's pollen <span style="color: #808000; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 140%;">- The olive seeds are found inside the fleshy olive fruit, they can allow new trees to grow <span style="color: #808000; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 140%;">- As young trees, the olive tree needs a warm climate to thrive, and can only replace it leaves every two or three years <span style="color: #808000; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 140%;">- The olive tree will take about 10 years to grow into a mature tree, it will reach 50 feet in height and have a 30 foot spread <span style="color: #808000; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 140%;">- An olive trees life span is on average 500 years, but many can live much longer <span style="color: #808000; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 140%;">- Unfortunately the olive tree has a few pests, olive flies, olive moths, black and olive scales can sometime invade the fruit of the olive tree. <span style="color: #808000; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 140%;">- The olive fly poses the most serious threat, causing the most damgae

<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 170%;">H U M A N A N D P L A N T R E L A T I O N S H I P - The olive tree has gained importance to humans, by supplying the ever popular ingredient, olive oil - Olive oil hasn't been too important to our survival but it has become quite successful over the generations

Incude evidence of how we know this. Many plants were domesticated thousands of years ago. What evidence do scientists have of the origin of the plant? Is it the same today as it was originally? What is significant about the site where the plant was domesticated in terms of geography of the area (rivers, climate), the culture of the people...? How was the plant originally used? Is it's use today different? Consider the following in your reflection: How does understanding about this plants and its history relate to your life in a global community? Comment on humans and their control over nature. How has our society's experience of food changed? Provide two questions for further study.
 * Domestication**: Where/When
 * Biology:** Type of plant, what part of the plant do we use, what is its life cycle and cultural requirements. Does it have a relationship with specific insects (pests or partners) that could impact its success?
 * Human/Plant relationship**: How has the plant evolved to be of importance to humans? How important is it to our survival/success? How different is today's version of the plant from its ancestor?
 * Refection:** In a paragraph I want you to describe what you learned and what you wonder about plants and humans.