Olea problems

Hello,

Earlier this year I hard cut back.this Olea (some sort of olive type tree I think, though not 100% sure on its variety. I had a thread on gardeners world, so my ID has been lost).

Anyway it responded with extremely strong growth, but now 50% of that growth seems to be yellowing and curling and the other half looks strong. I have scratched the shoots and the still look fresh and green underneath.

Any thoughts? Is she dying?

 

My olive has suffered badly this year, but it is in a large pot and needs planting out or repotting. If there is green under the bark your tree is still alive. They do not like being hard pruned very much so it may be sulking. I would leave it alone now, no feeding until Spring. The pruning will have encouraged lush growth, which may have exhausted it. Is it growing in a pot or open ground? I do not think it is dying, but it now needs some TLC to recover from the pruning. The weather has not been kind to olives this year. I have had a lot of leaf drop and almost no flowers or fruit set on mine, mainly due to excessive rain and drought conditions at the wrong times for it to do well.

 

Hello @Goldenlily26 . Thanks for your reply. Mine is a rather large specimen in the ground. I hadn't really considered the weather, but you are right, it has been completely out of sorts for months. I can tell when it's been a poor summer as my grass isn't brown and dusty (sandy soil on the coast)!

Yeah, I checked even the sick parts and they all appear green underneath. Maybe it needs a rest!

 

Almost looks like some kind of blight?

 

https://www.thenorfolkolivetreecompany.co.uk/growingolivetrees/pests-diseases/
Not sure if this is any help.

 

You say your soil is poor, sandy and near the coast. That may also be part of your problem.
As above, the tree is carrying a heavy crop of foliage so the poor soil may not be enough to support the growth. My interpretation of your pic. suggests there is another shrub behind the olive giving the illusion of a lot of foliage but the suggestion of thinning it might be good to ease the burden on the tree.