Texas olive is a heat-loving tree or shrub that’s adorned with large creamy white flowers from spring through fall. Here’s everything you need to know about planting and caring for this desert native.
Texas olive (Cordia boissieri) grows as a large shrub in its native habitat of southern Texas and northern Mexico. But when used in the landscape, it’s more commonly grown as a medium-sized ornamental tree.
This tree is gorgeous. It has substantial leathery leaves covered with fuzz that form a dense, rounded crown. Spring through fall, it’s peppered with large creamy white flowers. It’s usually evergreen but can lose its leaves in extreme cold.
It’s an excellent plant for attracting wildlife. Its flowers attract hummingbirds and butterflies while birds and small mammals eat the fruit. Oddly, deer and cattle have been known to get drunk consuming too many “Texas olives”!
Why I Like This Plant
- Beautiful creamy white flowers
- Large, leathery but fuzzy leaves
- Low water use desert native
- Thrives in the hottest spot in your yard
- Wildlife magnet
Things to Watch Out For
- Borderline cold-hardy and can suffer frost damage in the 20s
- Olive-like fruits are messy and mildly toxic
- Naturally grows as a shrub, needs pruning to shape as a tree
Optimal Growing Conditions for Texas Olive
If you’re thinking of adding a Texas olive to your garden, you need to find a suitable place that will keep your plant healthy and looking good… while minimizing maintenance for you.
Here are the key factors to keep in mind.
Temperature
Texas olive should be grown in USDA Hardiness Zones 9 – 10. It thrives in the hottest conditions in your yard but is borderline cold-hardy in Tucson.
There’s a reason its natural range does not extend north of the southern tip of Texas — it’s limited by cold. According to the University of Arizona, plants will suffer damage when the temperatures dip below 26°F.
I see some beautiful trees near me, but they are well-established and in protected areas. So depending on your microclimate, it may survive winters unscathed… or not. And it may be evergreen… or not.
If it gets too cold, leaves will drop and stem tips will be damaged. This is a bigger concern if you’re growing one as a tree. If you’re growing one as a shrub, you can prune back damaged branches without destroying its shape.
Sun Exposure
Texas olive can be grown in part shade, but it does best in full sun. It doesn’t mind reflected heat, so planting it near a wall or building can help protect it from cold in the winter.
Size and Growth Rate
It’s considered a slow grower that ultimately reaches a size of 25′ by 25′. If you grow it as a shrub rather than a tree, you can keep it smaller by pruning.
Soil
Texas olive is not particular about soil and grows well in any native soil, provided it’s well-draining.
Other Location Considerations
The raw fruits are mildly toxic, so keep them away from kids and pets.
Texas olive flowers and fruits are messy, so don’t plant near sidewalks, driveways, patios, or pools. Here’s a picture of the litter you will find under a tree. If you leave the fruits on the ground, they stain and attract insects.
Texas Olive:
The Essentials
| Common Name | Texas olive |
| Scientific Name | Cordia boissieri |
| Origin | Texas, Mexico |
| Plant Type | Evergreen shrub/tree |
| USDA Zones | Zones 9 – 10 |
| Cold Hardiness | To 20℉ |
| Flower Color | White |
| Flower Season | Spring, summer, fall |
| Mature Size | 25’ high x 25’ wide |
| Growth Rate | Slow |
| Sun Tolerance | Full sun, part shade, reflected sun |
| Water Needs | Low |
| Pests & Diseases | Root rot if overwatered |
| Garden Friendly | No thorns |
| Wildlife | Attracts birds, bees, butterflies |
How to Plant
The rule of thumb when planting any shrub or tree in the desert is to dig a hole three times as wide as the root ball but no deeper. Amending the soil is not recommended. Counterintuitively, backfilling with the same native soil you just dug up helps your plant develop a stronger root system.
When to Plant
The best time to plant Texas olive is in the fall. This gives your plant three seasons to grow roots and get established before the following summer.
The second best time is in spring, the earlier the better. This still gives your plant time to get established before the intense heat of June arrives.
How to Care for Texas Olive
Whether you’ve recently planted a new Texas olive or have an existing one in your yard, here’s how to take care of it to keep it healthy and looking its best.
How to Water New Plants
Once you’ve got your Texas olive in the ground, watering is your most immediate concern.
Here is the recommended watering schedule for new shrubs planted in the spring or fall.
| Weeks 1 & 2 | Every 3 – 4 days |
| Weeks 3 & 4 | Every 5 – 7 days |
| Weeks 5 & 6 | Every 7 – 10 days |
| Weeks 7 & 8 | Every 10 – 14 days |
After week 8, gradually extend the time between waterings.
How to Water Established Plants
As your Texas olive gets established, there are two watering factors to consider.
- First is how often to water. This will vary with the seasons.
- Second is how much water to give your tree with each watering. This depends on the current size of your plant.
To determine the ideal watering schedule for Texas olive or any desert tree you’ll find everything you need to know, including easy-to-use charts, at How to Water Desert Trees: How Often? How Much?
Texas olive should never be overwatered which can lead to root rot.
Should You Fertilize?
There is no need to fertilize Texas olive. It’s adapted to grow in native desert soil.
How to Prune
Texas olive naturally grows as a large shrub. If you let yours grow as a shrub it will need only infrequent pruning to lightly shape or remove frost damage. Pruning reduces the number of flowers, so prune only when needed, not as routine maintenance.
With the right pruning, Texas olive can be shaped into a multi-trunk tree (preferred) or even trained to grow as a more conventional single-trunk “lollipop” tree (not recommended).
If you’re unsure about how to create the shape you want, I strongly urge you to hire an arborist (not a so-called “landscaper”) to get your tree off to the right start. Unfortunately, there are a lot of plant butchers who call themselves landscapers who will ruin the shape of your tree.
Don’t Confuse Texas Olive With…
Texas olive (Cordia boissieri) is sometimes confused with another landscape plant in the same genus, little leaf cordia (Cordia parvifolia). Like Texas olive, it also has white flowers, green-gray leaves, and is a heat-loving native of the desert southwest.
However, there are some major differences. Little leaf cordia is a smaller plant that grows as a shrub that’s 6 feet tall by 8 feet wide. It’s wiry as opposed to lush and litter-free. Also, it is very cold-hardy, down to 15℉.
If you’re undecided about Texas olive because of the cold or the mess, or are looking for a shrub, little leaf cordia is an alternative to consider.
Plant Lover Facts
Texas olive is also called anacahuita, Mexican olive, Texas wild olive, or white cordia.
Texas olive (Cordia boissieri) is not related to true olive trees (Olea europaea). It gets its name from the small fruits that look somewhat like olives. The fruits are not particularly tasty and are mildly toxic to humans when eaten raw.
Traditionally, the fruits were made into a jelly used medicinally to relieve coughs and colds. The fruits were also used to make dye.
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Author Bio
Deane Alban is the creator of Southwest Gardener. She is a science writer with a bachelor’s degree in botany from the University of South Florida. Gardening is her lifelong passion. She’s been gardening in Tucson for 15 years.
