Get to know the centenary olive trees, their characteristics, care and symbolism
What are centenary olive trees?
Centennial olive trees are ancestral trees that have lived on our planet for more years than we ourselves have been here.
Trees that are estimated to have more than 100 years of life are thus named. They can be easily recognized for being large and imposing, with a tough and rough bark, which has strengthened over the years.
Its leafy canopies easily provide shelter for dozens of animals. While for humans they have always represented trees of great importance and natural wisdom.
Where do the centennial olive trees originate from?
Although centuries-old olive trees can adapt to multiple climates, their favorite and natural environment are hot and dry climates.
It is believed that it was the Muslims who started with the olive groves, thousands of years ago. The Iberian Peninsula and Mediterranean countries have been for millennia the home of centenary olive trees.
The hot climate of our lands, facilitates the growth and preservation of these ancient trees that are the living image of strength and resistance.
However, they are able to adapt to change, but not to humid climates, they do not tolerate excess water, or lack of light.
Main characteristics of centenary olive trees
Among the main characteristics of centenary olive trees are their size, which varies slightly between specimens.
But usually, they can be distinguished by their large dimensions, although smaller than those of ancient olive trees.
Its exuberant crowns can measure up to 20 meters in perimeter, and can reach two meters in height. While the perimeter of its base, it can measure between six and eight meters.
Some trunks are usually hollow and pitted, with sublime twisted shapes that challenge any Dalí painting to a duel. Each centenary olive tree is unique and special, with a structure that tells its history on earth through hundreds of years.
They are trees of sunshine, they love light, and they get sad when it is missing. They are specimens that take their strength and longevity from the sun, rather than from water.
Extra virgin olive oil from centenary olive trees
The great fruit of the olive trees are olives, which have been venerated for as long as we can remember, as privileged fruits for society.
The extra virgin oil is one of the great attributes of olive trees. It was used in ancient times to anoint kings, and for other important ceremonies.
Currently, its medicinal and beneficial properties for humans have been proven, so its consumption has become even more widespread.
Consuming olive oil helps protect the immune system, strengthen the heart, reduce bad cholesterol, and is rich in antioxidants.
In addition, due to its high content of vitamin E, it helps to maintain healthy skin and hair. And it even acts as an anti-inflammatory.
Care for planting and maintaining a centenary olive tree
If you have decided to acquire a centenary olive tree, you better learn how to take care of this ancestral specimen, so that it can continue to grow.
The first thing to do before planting it is:
Find a good location: not to the north, as this tree requires as much light as possible, even artificial, in climates or locations without so much natural light.
Make a hole three times larger than the base of the olive tree: take care of giving it its space, this tree requires a suitable place in terms of light and space to grow.
Clean up the land: Once you’ve met the proper location and space, make sure you clean the land well. Take it all out of the hole, to remove the roots that may appear from other plants. This will favor the adaptation of your centenary olive tree.
Use gravel and sand in the bottom: to help your tree adapt and continue to grow, you have to provide it with certain comforts, one of them is to keep its soil drained. Centennial olive trees do not tolerate stagnation of water. So putting gravel and sand at the bottom of today will allow the earth to drain.
Do not submerge the olive tree more than 5 cm: its roots tend to dry out if they are far below the ground, therefore, take care to only cover them with soil about 5 cm or 800 mm.
Drip irrigation system: since they are a species used to droughts, you will stun it if you put a lot of water in it. Water them very little, but daily. Or implement a drip irrigation system.
Prune the leaves and branches: cut the branches and leaves that grow downwards, or on the trunk of the tree, this will help it to maintain its beautiful aesthetics.
Symbols of the centenary olive trees
Having survived great seasons on the planet, they are identified as symbols of resistance and renewal.
In ancient Greece, the winners of the Olympics were recognized by a guir
