Olea sp.
Olive, Olive
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Family: Oleaceae · Type: Shrub · Not Native
Olea sp. (Olive) is a non-native California shrub in the Oleaceae family.
How to tell it apart
vs Quercus: Olea has opposite leaves and four-petaled flowers; Quercus has alternate leaves and dangly catkins.; vs Salix: Olea leaves have silvery undersides and stay on year-round; Salix leaves green both sides, drop in fall.; vs Phillyrea: Olea flowers have four spreading petals; Phillyrea flowers have tiny petals forming narrow tubes.; vs Acacia: Olea has simple opposite leaves; Acacia has feathery compound leaves or flattened leaf-like stems.; vs Ceanothus: Olea has opposite leaves; Ceanothus has alternate leaves arranged spirally.
Frequently asked questions
Is Olea sp. native to California?
No. Olea sp. is not native to California (recorded as not native).
What plant family does Olea sp. belong to?
Olea sp. is in the Oleaceae family, genus Olea.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-04-14
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.