Olivewood

Olivewood

Latin: Olea spp. Origin: Europe and Eastern Africa

Olivewood grows in many areas throughout Southern Europe, the Middle East and Eastern Africa. It is the tree that produces commercially grown olives for the fruit and also to make olive oil. The unique quality of this wood is that it is completely sustainable. The trees are not cut down but actually the limbs are pruned and the stump remains. The tree will regenerate much like a Crepe Myrtle and resume production of olives. Because of this process the logs (limbs) harvested are not very big and you will rarely see live edge slabs over 30" wide. Olive is also a very twisted tree so the wood often has occlusions and wildly swirling grain patterns.

In past years there was a craze for what is referred to as "Bethlehem Olive" or "Holy Land Olive". Sellers were making certificates to verify that the wood came from Israel and claimed it was the only true olivewood. This was all a marketing ploy because the tree they are harvesting is the same tree that grows all over the region. We have been importing beautiful olivewood in turning squares and live edge slabs for years, typically from Africa and Southeastern Europe.

Check out the video below explaining the harvesting of Olivewood.