The Olive tree, Olea europaea, is valued for both its beauty and its fruit. Olives have been cultivated and oil traded since as early as 3000 B.C. The Romans and the Arabs were responsible for thoroughly distributing Olives throughout the Mediterranean Basin. The Olive was brought to California in the late 1700s by Franciscan padres. The first trees were planted at the Mission San Diego de Alcala. The first record of olive being produced in our state was at the mission.

The olive tree has certainly invaded the hearts and landscapes of our beautiful Napa Valley. As more and more trees are planted the valley begins to look and feel like a Mediterranean countryside. Tuscany like villas are sprouting up throughout the valley hillsides. Some are planting for the fruit to make olive oil. Others are planting non-fruiting varieties to enjoy the beauty without the messy fruiting phase.

Olives are well suited for our climate. They are a very long lived tree with some tree living for over 1000 years. As they mature their trunks become gnarled and picturesque. An olive has a shallow root system and is adapted to various soil types. A clayey soil is best suited for olive oil production as the moisture content can be controlled during fruiting.

Fruiting olives can bear heavy one year followed by a light, smallish sized crop the next. Olives are produced on one year shoots in the presence of light, with production in the outer 2 to 3 foot periphery of the tree. Pruning a fruiting tree must be done with the objective of controlling and directing the trees growth for ease of harvesting. Pruning a non fruiting tree will be done with structure, aesthetics, and disease control as objectives. Pruning should be done in spring once winter rains have passed.

There are many olive tree varieties in production in Europe but only a limited number of them are available. More and more varieties are being imported yearly so things will improve. Currently, the most readily available fruiting trees are Mission and Manzanillo, non-fruiting are Skylark Dwarf, Little Ollie, and Wilsoni.

Olives have been slightly difficult to obtain in various quantity and sizes. We are currently growing stock to fill the 5 gallon and 15 gallon size containers that are so much sought after. We currently stock 1 gallon sized Manzanillo olives priced at $10.98. Mission olives in 1 gallon are ordered for the Sping. We have nice 5 gallon Mission trees, nice 5 gallon Skylark Dwarf, 5 and 7 gallon Majestic Beauty, and an awesome collection of 24 box sized Mission, Manzanillo , and Wilsoni for $298.00 each. These trees are 9-10 ft tall and 6-7 foot wide; just perfect specimens for any yard.

Mission  introduced to California in 1769. The most cold hardy olive, survives to 8 degrees. A tall upright tree reaching 40 feet, the fruit matures late in October and into November. Mission Olives are used mainly for pickling and for oil due to their high oil content (21.8%). When used for oil harvest from mid-December to January.

Manzanillo  introduced to California in 1875. Manzanillo is the most popular canning variety. Not as cold hardy as Mission it is still wildly grown in California. A more rounded, spreading tree growing to 30-35 feet. The fruit matures in October and early November but is usually harvested in September. Fruit is processed as mostly black-ripe and green-ripe olives. They are also suitable for oil as oil content is good (20.3%).

Skylark Dwarf  a smallish variety growing to 13-16 feet tall. Will set a small fruit crop in some years but is mostly non fruiting. The fruit is not commercially used. A good tree for a smaller scaled yard.

Wilsoni  a non fruiting variety with upright growth habit to 25-30 feet tall. Good for specimen landscape plantings.

Little Ollie a non-fruiting variety used a landscape shrub. Grows to 3-4 ½ feet tall. Never develops flowers and is an excellent screening or massing shrub in the landscape

Majestic Beauty  a non-fruiting variety with an upright habit to 25-30 feet tall, 25 feet wide. Foliage is lighter green, narrower, and longer than other olives. No fruit develops on this patented variety.

The use of Boxwood traces back to 4000 B.C. in China and Egypt and to 1000 B.C. in Greece. The origin of Boxwood precedes that of humans. Boxwood has long been valued for its beautiful fine grained wood and for ornamental uses. The earliest records of Boxwood in America are in Long Island, New York. It appears that it was imported from Holland at that time.

Boxwoods grow in many natural shapes, sizes, and variations  dwarf to tree like, mounding, conical, weeping, spherical, columnar, and vase shaped. Leaf colors vary from deep, dark greens to variegated (we have our first Variegated plants in the nursery right now).

Boxwood is a vigorous, slow growing woody shrub and requires a minimum of care. They prefer a well drained soil, avoid wet feet or extremely heavy clay soils. Boxwood tolerate shade but grow more rapidly in sunlight. Buxus sempervirens requires full sunlight. A good general rule to follow is morning sun with bright afternoon shade or full sun. Water Boxwood seldom and thoroughly. Newly planted boxwood require slightly more water during the first year. Water thoroughly to develop a healthy, well branched root system.

Fertilize with and organic based fertilizer to encourage steady, moderate growth.. High nitrogen fertilizers will produce rapid surges of growth. Fertilize in the spring and every three to fours years thereafter. A good mulch layer will conserve moisture, cool soil temperatures, reduce weed growth, and help promote healthy feeder roots. Apply no more than 1 to 1 ½ inches of mulch for established plants.

Only three pests are considered potentially serious: leaf miner and mites. We have never seen leaf miners attack Boxwood here in the Napa Valley (you never should say never but it hasnt happened as of yet). Mites can be a problem in shady areas with poor air movement. Both pests are controllable so dont fret. Diseases are practically non existent and most problems with boxwood comes from planting the crown of the plant too deep (crown rot).

Minor maintenance pruning is best done in late spring. Work from top to bottom, from the inside to the outside. When the plant grows unevenly, locate the center and prune for balance. If new growth is rank and floppy, take it off and cut lightly into previous years growth to encourage more compact growth.

One of the most graceful and beautiful plants for any garden is the Japanese Maple. No other plant offers graceful texture with a solid structure that is so pleasing to the eye. We are blessed with a climate in which Japanese Maples thrive. Our annual moisture and excellent soils provide the necessary medium for Maples to flourish.

This year, as always, Whiting Nursery has an incredible selection of field grown Japanese Maples. These trees are grown in Oregons Willamette Valley, are field dug , and shipped directly to our nursery. These beautiful specimens are now available and are a must see item on your next trip to the nursery. Weve listed the varieties below with a brief description.

Acer palmatum Bloodgood
Bloodgood has become one of the most popular large-leafed maples. Its upright growing habit makes it a good choice for any garden. Bloodgood has a very deep red or black red leaf color and holds its color late into the summer. Fall color is a bright crimson. The prominent seeds are a beautiful red and add to the beauty of the tree. Kevin has a beautiful specimen planted in his front yard on Spring Street. Its in full sun and perennials and annuals are planted underneath. Amazingly, in all our hot summer weather the tree has never tip burned its leaves. Thats a strong endorsement for Bloodgood maple.

Acer palmatum Suminagashi
Another large-leaved maple that is closely related to Sherwood Flame. The beautiful spring color makes Suminagashi an must choice for a garden accent. Stunning bright red-purple leaves unfold in the early spring. As the leaves go into summer they become almost a black-red or deep maroon. From mis-summer to Fall the leaves gradually change color to a deep green-red and brown-red. Suminagashi holds color longer when given a little afternoon shade. Fall color is crimson. Suminagashi is a vigorous upright grower and excellent for any landscape.

Acer palmatum Atrolineare
A red form maple in the linearilobum group. The foliage is dark, black red in its early season prime. It will bronze out later in the season (especially in full sun). Form is upright narrow to 10ft.  a great specimen plant.

Acer palmatum ScolopendrifoliumA large narrow lobed, delicate looking, five lobed leaf. A strong growing, upright tree to 12-14 ft. Bright green foliage has a soft tone until fall when strong yellow colors appear. Sometimes refered to as Strap-leaf or Finger-leaf maple.

Acer palmatum Katsura
A true dwarf form that possesses striking spring color. As the leaves develop they are pale orange. The margins shade to a brighter orange. As the seasons progress the leaves turn green. Fall colors are bright yellow and orange. A small growing rounded plant to 4 ft. at maturity  good for container and bonsai.

Acer palmatum Ukigomo
A beautiful variegated cultivar, truly stunning. The basic leaf color is a light shade of green. The least variegated leaves have a faint shading of pink on the edges made up of very minute dots. Most leaves are marked in varying degrees by white and pink, other leaves are totally white. Not a rapid growing plant, Ukigomo will reach 6-7 ft. height after many years. Deserves a special place in the garden.

Acer palmatum Beni Maiko
A brilliant scarlet, red small growing palmatum type of maple. As the foliage unfolds in the spring, its a firered or deep scarlet tone. As leaves mature they fade to a pinkish red with a slight green under tone. Summer brings on a greenish red tone with the main veins remaining red. The leaves are irregular in shape which also adds interest to the plant. Plant will not exceed 5 ft. in height and is great for container culture.

Acer palmatum Sangu Kaku
The brilliant coral color of the bark is the outstanding feature of this maple. The younger wood is is the stronger color, almost fluorescent. It is most striking in winter months. Leaves are a bright green with a red tone at the margin in the spring. As summer approaches, the leaves become a lighter green. Fall colors are golden yellow with a blend of apricot and light red. An upright grower to 18-20 ft. and 16 ft wide.