I ordered two mission olive trees online and when they showed up they don’t have any leaves on them. There’s a note inside that says don’t worry about your trees not having leaves they are probably dormant. I’m new to growing olives so I’m not sure if they lose all of their leaves and go dormant but I thought they were semi tropical tree that kept their leaves all year around. Maybe someone with more experience could clue me in on what to expect?
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No, olive trees don’t go dormant and don’t lose their leaves.
That’s what I thought but I’m pretty ignorant and they sent a note with it saying it was normal so I was like idk maybe.
Maybe they stripped the leaves for some reason? In any case, which nursery?
They’re off of eBay, which has been hit and miss for me personally.
This is what they sent me when I asked if they were dead. Is this possible or should I continue returning them?
“Hi these are dormant , and will rebud in the spring or sooner , we do force them to go dormant in coolers , for safe shipping” plant1onme
I don’t know the particulars of olives, but you should be able to scrape away some bark and see green. If it’s dry and brown between the bark and the wood, they’re probably dead. If they’re green and moist, they’ll probably be ok with a little TLC.
FWIW, I generally avoid eBay for plant purchases, unless there’s a particular seller you’ve had good experience with. There are some good honest sellers there, but far too many who are more interested in a quick buck than anything resembling quality control.
That explanation is complete BS. Can you post photos of the plant?
Yeah I can later
Yeah, I bought some avocado seeds on eBay recently, allegedly from some rarer Mexican-race varieties, but it’ll be at least a few weeks before I can test the leaves for anise scent, I wouldn’t be surprised if they are really just from grocery store hass instead.
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I don’t know what it is but it’s 100% not an olive tree.
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