What is fruit set in olive trees?

Among the stages of plant development, fruit set is rarely discussed in everyday conversation.

In this short article, we explain this stage of the olive tree’s life cycle in simple terms, with photographs we have taken in our groves over the past few days.

Fruit set is one of the most important stages in the olive tree’s life cycle. It involves:

– the withering and falling of the corollas of flowers that opened during May’s flowering period;

– the transformation of fertilised flowers into fruit: tiny olives.

Fruit set typically takes place during the first half of June.

Good fruit set means a high ratio of fruit developing from fertilised flowers to the total number of flowers produced. Naturally, this ratio cannot be one to one: not every flower can be fertilised. A very low ratio, however, indicates a year of low production.

Fruit growth follows fruit set. The first tiny olives on the branches continue growing throughout summer until they become beautiful olives ready for harvesting.

Tiny olives formed after fruit set

Tiny olives and withered flowers on an olive branch

The photographs above show the first tiny olives on some of our branches, confirming that fruit set has begun. We hope it continues this way, producing many more olives. Now we olive growers can begin to breathe a sigh of relief, as we can see and touch the fruits of our work. Long live nature and life in all its forms!