Olive

The olive or zaitūn is referred to in the Qur’ān as bearing oil and light, and as a blessed and useful tree.

A classical tree of the Mediterranean, together with the fig and the grape, the olive, Olea europaea is one the oldest cultivated plants, dating back 7,000 years. Exports of olive oil from Palestine date back to the Bronze Age.

The olive tree’s leafy branches have long been used as symbols of glory and peace.

Painted from specimens (clockwise from top right): a large green Maraqi in Oman, Nabali from Palestine, Greek Kalamata, French Picholine, Spanish Sevillano, Chilean Azapa, black Italian Pendolino, pink and green Spanish Manzanillo, Spanish Picual, Greek Koroneiki, Italian Latino and Leccino. The flowers and small green wild olive of Olea oleaster were painted at Jebel Akhdar in Oman.

Grows at Kew in Edible Science: Kew’s Kitchen Garden.

Completed painting size: 54 x 72cm
Main picture leaves and flowers x 6, pods x 2,
gland x 15, flower detail x 15
Watercolour on paper