Botanical Name: Olea europaea | Family: Oleaceae
Common name(s): Olive
GROWING
- Tree; evergreen | Zones 10 – 11 (8 – 9 for some varieties) | 30 feet tall | Small, smooth, leathery leaves, green on top, silver on bottom | Small greenish-white flower clusters | Green fruit that ripens to black
- Full sun | Non-stratified, moderately fine textured soils containing some amount of loam
HARVESTING
Harvest the leaves throughout the year.
PREPARATION / DOSAGE
Decoction: Simmer 1 tablespoon leaves in 1 cup of boiling water (for 15-20 minutes). Drink 1 cup 2x/day. Alternatively, add a couple of handfuls of leaves to a quart of water and simmer until reduced to 1/2 pint, to help break obstinate fevers.
Tincture 1:2 fresh, 1:5 dried: 2-3 ml, 2-3x/day
Cautions: Check with your doctor before using, especially if on blood pressure or blood-thinning medications or if you have low blood pressure. Do not use when pregnant or breastfeeding, since there have been no studies on olive leaf safety.
MEDICAL
Constituents: Oleotropine, oleasterol, leine
Actions: Antibiotic, antifungal, antihypertensive, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, antiparasitic, antiviral, astringent, mildly diuretic, febrifugal
Uses: Cystitis, diabetes (lowers blood sugar levels), fevers, high blood pressure, improving circulation, inflammation, viruses (killing and/or inhibiting)
CHARACTERISTICS
- Bitter, astringent
SOURCES
- Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine, by Andrew Chevallier, FNIMH
- The Way of Herbs, Michael Tierra, L.Ac., O.M.D.
- The Earthwise Herbal, Volume I, Matthew Wood
- A Modern Herbal, Volume II, Mrs. M. Grieve
- Indigo Herbs
- Olive Leaf Extract
- photo credit: Julie-Kolibrie from Pixabay
The olive tree has been long revered, its oil used in lamps, its leaves made into Olympic crowns, its bark carved into statues. This Materia Medica entry is focused on the leaves while the olive fruit is nutritive and lubricating, often used as a flush to remove gallstones and as a base in herbal preparations.
As always, start slowly with any new herb and listen to your body. If you are pregnant or have any serious medical conditions, check with your doctor or an experienced herbalist who is knowledgable of herb/drug interactions.
