Olea europaea Paragon

Common Name:
Paragon Olive

Description:
Olea europaea 'Paragon', also known as Frantoio, is a premium olive variety prized for its high-quality oil production and excellent table olives. Originally from Italy, this variety is well-suited to Australian conditions, producing small to medium-sized fruit with a high oil content and a robust, fruity flavour. The olives start green and ripen to a deep purple-black in late autumn to early winter. The Paragon olive tree is a vigorous, upright grower with a dense canopy of silvery-green leaves, making it an attractive ornamental tree as well. Highly adaptable, it thrives in full sun with well-drained soil and is drought-tolerant once established. While self-fertile, it benefits from cross-pollination with other olive varieties for increased yields.

Form:

• Tree - Medium
• Tree - Small (when pruned or grown in pots)

Mature Size:

• Height: 4–7m (can be pruned smaller)
• Width: 3–5m

Aspect:

• Full Sun

Flowering:

• Flowers in Spring

Flower Colour:

• Creamy White

Key Attributes:

• Edible Fruit
• Self-Pollinating (but benefits from cross-pollination)
• Suitable for Pots
• Suitable for Espalier
• Drought Tolerant
• Bird Attracting
• High Oil Yield
• Long-Lived

Toxicity:

• Non-toxic to humans and pets

Companion Plants:

• Other olive varieties (Mission, Kalamata) for cross-pollination
• Lavender (repels pests and attracts pollinators)
• Rosemary (thrives in similar dry conditions)
• Thyme (great ground cover and pest deterrent)
• Citrus trees (compatible in Mediterranean-style gardens)
• Grape Vines (similar sun and soil requirements)