Olea europaea Olive |
Since ancient times, the olive has
been the principal source of edible oil in the eastern Mediterranean area.
It was the biblical symbol of peace, and olive wreaths were presented to
the victors in the Olympic Games.
Both the fruits and the leaves are edible. Oil pressed from the fruits is a major culinary and medicinal product, sometimes used as a laxative, in enemas, and in treatments for minor wounds. A thorny, wild form of olive grows on stony hillsides in Mediterranean regions, and cultivated forms are grown in groves. Olive trees only grow well away from frost and tropical heat, and prefer dry, well-drained warm soil. |