Forestiera neomexicana

Desert Olive is a deciduous shrub that grows fast to 6-8 feet. Native from northern central California to Riverside and east to Colorado and Texas. Useful fast filler for desert conditions, drought tolerant after established, cold tolerant to at least 0 F., and deer have not bothered this plant. Easy to grow. Give it regular water for first year, then forget or keep watering. LOVES deep sand.

It's kind of weird that our Olive grows in the same situations as the European olive, but the European Olive grows in areas of twice as much rainfall and milder locations. Our Olive is much tougher.

Plants occurring nearby are Prunus andersonii, Encelia actoni, Haplopappus linearifolius, Chaenactis spp., Atriplex canescens, and Cucurbita foetidissima, in arroyo area of Joshua Tree Woodland.

Desert Olive works very well in a California garden and can look small, clean green olive tree. BUT, it's more cold hardy, more tolerant of bad soils, and a better bird plant. This little tree does well in Los Angeles, San Diego, and the San Joaquin Valley.

(syn. Forestiera pubescens)