The Flora of Malta

 

             We Got an Olive Tree!

 

 

                                                                    

What do you mean, "so what?"  These are gorgeous trees with long slender leaves and are very Mediterranean.  And they grow all over Malta.  We put ours on a sunny balcony inside the house (after a long battle of where to put it).   The leaves give off a silvery look when the sun shines on them because the back of the leaves are so much lighter than the front.

 

             

 

We won't get olives, though.  We found out something very interesting:  You have to have two different kinds of olive trees together--a male and a female--to get olives.  But we don't need any more male and female relationships here; there's enough going on with Mr. S. and me (I'm the female).

 

                            

 

And to be honest, I don't want baby olives because I hate olives.  I always give mine to Mr. S. whenever we eat out.  He likes them.  But I love olive oil--and he hates olive oil. 

 

And I've had enough babies.  Two beautiful daughters in the US who I will seen soon, G-d Willing, when I go back to the US in a few days.   And then there's Egypt, my baby cat, and, well, there's Mr. S.  Need I say more?  I don't need to change baby olive leaflettes and take them to olive doctors.  In other words, I don't care if the tree doesn't get olives.

 

But I do want you to know I love my olive tree. This morning, I watched it glimmer in the sunlight.  I'm going to name it.  I think I'll call it............Olive.  ( Hey, I heard that.)

Comments

[Sennuwy (an ancient Egyptian name)]

Mary--I do the exact same thing with Mr. S!!! Yes, I agree about men...xxx

Hi there Lynne, will email you today. You still have beautiful trees where you are xxx

[Mary Bartolotta]

Good luck with Olive. We both love Olives, but husband says he doesn't like olive oil. However, I use it all the time and he doesn't even realize it. Of course, he doesn't dip bread in it. Thinks that's crazy, just wants butter. However, I do not hesitate to cook with it when he's not watching and he never notices. Men are crazy!

[Lynne]

Gaverit - what are you going to be doing in the US? Can I call you when you are here? Please email me and let me know when a good time would be ok?

And good luck with the olive tree. It sounds so pretty the way you described it. I would love to be able to grow olives, but I don't think we have the right zone for here here - too bad.

[Sennuwy (an ancient Egyptian name)]

Hi Dee, I think Olive is gender-neutral name. I will write you from the US.

Hey Linda, Now I know I made the perfect choice. I'm glad you can use the little olives.

[Lynda Adlington]

You couldn't have got a lovlier tree. They are my favourite and I have written a chapter on them in my book and they are also in my blog. We have about forty. It took me two years to get it right on curing them for eating, they kept turning to grey slosh. Each year we pick them and take them up the road to the olive mill and come back with enough bottles of extra virgin oil to last us through the year. Every part of the tree can be used they have many medicinal properties. Enjoy !

[Dee Owen]

"Olive" would that be a female or male? No babies? I guess that's for the best! Have a safe trip to the US...and back.