Olive Tree Zone Guide: The USDA Zones Where Olives Grow
The olive tree zone range is USDA hardiness zones 8 through 11, and zones 9 and 10 are the sweet spot where a standard olive grows and fruits outdoors with little fuss. Zone 8 works with hardy varieties and a sheltered spot, zone 11 grows the tree but may not give you much fruit, and anywhere colder than zone 8 means a pot that spends winter indoors. Below: what each zone means, why the number is only half the story, and where the US grows olives commercially.
What each olive tree zone means
A USDA hardiness zone is based on the average coldest night of the year in your area, measured over 30 years. Each zone covers a 10°F band, split into “a” and “b” halves of 5°F. For an olive, the numbers that matter come from University of California guidance: small twigs are injured below about 25°F (-4°C), and a tree can be killed when temperatures fall below about 15°F (-9°C). Put those next to the zone map and the picture is clear. For the varieties that cope best with cold, see our guide to cold hardy olive trees.
| Zone | Average coldest night | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| 7 and colder | 10°F and below | Too cold for olives in the ground; grow one in a pot and bring it in for winter |
| 8a | 10 to 15°F | Marginal; a hard winter can kill even established trees, so only the hardiest varieties in the best spot |
| 8b | 15 to 20°F | Possible with hardy varieties; protect young trees and expect some dieback in cold years |
| 9a | 20 to 25°F | Good; twig damage in a hard winter, frost cover for young trees |
| 9b and 10a | 25 to 35°F | Ideal: little freeze risk and enough winter cool to flower well |
| 10b | 35 to 40°F | Grows well; flowering and fruit can be lighter after warm winters |
| 11 and warmer | 40°F and above | Grows into a handsome tree, but fruit is often sparse for lack of winter chill |
That last row surprises people. Olives need a cool winter to form flower buds: several weeks of cool nights, roughly 35 to 50°F (2 to 10°C). In the warmest zones the tree grows happily but may flower poorly. Varieties from southern Greece, such as Koroneiki, are generally reported to need less winter chill than Spanish and Italian ones, so they are the better bet in zone 10b and warmer.
Why the zone number is only half the story
A zone is an average, and olives are killed by extremes. A garden in zone 9a might go ten winters without dropping below 25°F and then hit 15°F in a single night. Several other things matter as much as the number on the map:
- Speed and timing of the freeze. A tree that has hardened off through a cool fall handles cold far better than one caught by an early freeze while still growing, or a late one after spring growth has started.
- Tree age. Young trees are much more tender than established ones, so protect a new tree for its first few winters whatever its label says.
- Wet winters and humid summers. Cold, soggy roots do more harm than dry cold, and rainy, humid climates such as the Southeast bring more root rot and leaf disease.
- Summer heat. Fruit needs a long, warm season to ripen. Cool-summer coastal climates can grow the tree yet struggle to ripen a crop in some years.
The USDA also updated its zone map in 2023, and many areas moved half a zone warmer. That reflects newer averages, not a guarantee against the next cold snap, so plant for the worst winter you remember rather than the zone printed on the tag. Our pieces on frost and the olive and what happens to an olive tree in winter go deeper into how the tree handles cold.
Microclimates: how to gain half a zone
Some spots in any garden run several degrees warmer than others on a still, frosty night, and in zone 8 or 9a choosing the right one is worth more than any variety name. A south- or west-facing wall soaks up heat by day and gives it back at night. A slope beats a low spot, because cold air drains downhill and pools in hollows. City lots and sites near large bodies of water stay warmer too. Keep the tree out of cold, drying winds, and keep the soil well drained.
When a hard freeze is forecast, water the soil a day or two before, since moist soil holds and releases more heat than dry soil. Then drape frost cloth over young trees all the way to the ground, so it traps the warmth rising from the soil, and remove it once temperatures climb.
Growing olives in colder zones: the container route
North of zone 8, the answer is a pot. A potted olive can live outdoors from spring to fall almost anywhere in the US. Bring it in before nights drop into the mid 20s°F, since roots in a pot are far more exposed than roots in the ground. The ideal winter spot is bright and cool, somewhere around 35 to 50°F: an unheated sunroom, an enclosed porch or a garage with a good window. That cool rest also sets next year’s flower buds, while a warm, dim living room usually brings heavy leaf drop.
Water sparingly through winter, move the tree back out gradually once the frosts are over, and choose a compact variety such as Arbequina. Our guide to growing olive trees in pots covers the pot, the mix and the winter routine.
Where olives grow commercially in the US
California grows nearly all of America’s olives and olive oil. The Sacramento Valley is the historic home of the table-olive trade, the San Joaquin Valley supplies much of the modern oil from dense hedgerow orchards, and coastal and foothill estates grow smaller crops for character. Our grower’s map of California walks through the regions. Most of that land sits in zone 9 or warmer, with hot, dry summers and cool, wet winters, close to a copy of the Mediterranean.
Outside California the industry is small but real:
- Texas: plantings in south and central Texas, dominated by Arbequina and set back repeatedly by hard freezes, most painfully in February 2021. Our piece on Texas olive oil tells that story.
- Arizona: groves in the southern low desert, where heat is no problem and water is the limit.
- Georgia: a young industry in the south of the state, with commercial groves planted from 2008 and 2009.
- Florida and Oregon: small, newer plantings, with University of Florida researchers still working out how to grow olives well in Florida’s humid climate.
One oddity if you live in the desert Southwest: Clark County, Nevada (Las Vegas) and Pima County, Arizona (Tucson) have restricted the planting of olive trees for decades because of their pollen, so check local rules before you buy one there.
An olive’s cold hardiness is earned with age. A two-year-old nursery tree with a trunk the width of a pencil is far more tender than the same variety at ten years old, yet the hardiness figure on the tag describes established trees. Whatever the label promises, treat a new olive as a zone more tender than its variety for its first two or three winters, and have frost cloth ready.
Frequently asked questions
Can olive trees grow in zone 7?
Not reliably in the ground. In zone 7, grow an olive in a pot, keep it outside from spring to fall, and move it into a bright, cool, frost-free space for winter.
Can an olive tree survive winter in zone 8?
In zone 8b, usually yes, with a hardy variety, a sheltered spot and frost protection while the tree is young. Zone 8a is marginal, and a hard winter can kill even established trees.
What is the best zone for olive trees?
Zones 9 and 10 suit olives best. Winters there are cool enough to set flower buds but rarely cold enough to damage the wood.
Do olive trees grow in Florida?
They grow, and the University of Florida is researching them as a crop, but humidity, summer rain and root rot in wet soils are real challenges. In South Florida, warm winters can also mean little fruit.
Which US state grows the most olives?
California, by a very wide margin. Texas, Arizona and Georgia have much smaller commercial industries.