Houseplants play an important part in interior design schemes. Much like artwork and books, a well-chosen plant or indoor tree can elevate a room – and quite literally add life.
What plant to place where requires thought. Obviously, different species and sizes of plants evoke different moods – and most importantly thrive in different conditions.
One plant that has attracted attention recently is the beautiful indoor olive tree grown in pots. Whether you’re after a Mediterranean aesthetic, prefer a chic minimalist approach or something more traditional, this sculptural beauty, with its silvery-green foliage, will give a room a sense of grandeur.
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Discover from experts how to choose the best spot, size and scale for an indoor Olea europea, like this Koroneiki Greek Olive Tree from Trees.com (formerly Fast Growing Trees) and how to style it for maximum impact.
1. Why Opt For An Olive Tree?
(Image credit: Marina Hanisch Interiors)
A staple in sun-loving Mediterranean gardens, olive trees (Olea europaea) are having a moment in interior design schemes, bringing their old world charm to our homes.
‘There’s something inherently romantic about an olive tree — it evokes an old vineyard, the French countryside, places that feel timeless and connected to the landscape,’ says Marina Hanisch, founder, Marina Hanisch Interiors.
‘It’s a quiet gesture, but one that gives a room a sense of history and soul, as though it has always belonged there.’
Marina also likes the way an indoor olive tree allows the outdoors to speak to the interior. ‘It’s the idea of nature meeting architecture,’ she says. ‘It can become a statement in the center of a space or read almost as a sculpture in the corner, bringing height, movement and dimension without feeling overly green or leafy.’
This Maurino olive tree from Trees.com can be grown indoors in a pot or outside.
Interior designer, Marie Flanigan, founder, Marie Flanigan Interiors loves the way an olive tree brings an immediate sense of life, warmth, and natural beauty to an interior.
‘Its sculptural form and silvery foliage add softness and movement while still feeling refined and architectural,’ says Marie. ‘By nature of its branching structure, an olive tree allows beautiful natural light to filter through, making it a wonderful way to fill a space without visually blocking it.’
Based in New York, Marina Hanisch Interiors is a full-service design firm specializing in high-end residential and commercial interiors. Marina’s distinctive warm modernist style is achieved through a mix of vintage, contemporary and custom pieces. Her methodology always starts with the ideal that design should tell a story and evoke emotion.
Marie Flanigan is the founder and principal of Marie Flanigan Interiors, a design studio with a talented team of interior designers celebrated for projects spanning across the United States and a holistic approach that marries architecture and interiors.
2. How To Choose the Best Place
(Image credit: Julie Soefer. Design: Marie Flanigan Interiors)
The best location for an indoor olive tree aesthetically and the best place for it to thrive may not be the same. However, it’s important to marry the two. Constantly picking up dried leaves from a suffering plant is not a good look. So first consider where you would like your tree to go, then check whether the conditions are optimal before settling on that spot.
‘Standing an olive tree alone in a corner, beside a window, or even centered in a larger space where it can really be treated as sculpture looks beautiful,’ says Marina. ‘However, with a living olive tree, natural light is essential. So I always consider where it will thrive before deciding on placement.’
‘An indoor olive tree craves full sun,’ says Marina Prokaten, plant expert at Plantum. ‘Place it in your sunniest south-facing window, and don’t deny it the opportunity to bask in the sunlight – otherwise it will respond with stunted growth and cheerless looks.’
Hilton Carter, author, Living Wild suggests a south or west-facing room for an olive tree. ‘A northern-facing room will never receive direct sunlight, so plants that require direct sun won’t thrive there,’ he says.
At H45cm x D33cm, this rustic braided rattan pedestal planter from Anthropologie would look beautiful with a small olive tree.
Based in Baltimore, artist, interior stylist and plant expert, Hilton Carter is the author of six books, including Wild at Home, Living Wild and his most recent, Unfurled, by Cico Publishing.
3. Choosing the Size And Scale
(Image credit: Julie Soefer. Design: Marie Flanigan Interiors)
Once you’ve identified the best spot for your olive tree, you can consider the size and scale. This type of indoor tree, won’t grow quickly, so you don’t need to be concerned about your Olea europa outgrowing the space, like some other houseplants would.
‘I consider the architecture and scale of the room first, making sure the tree feels intentional rather than simply filling an empty corner,’ says Marie. ‘I love a substantial olive tree with an interesting trunk and an organic, slightly imperfect shape, especially when it has enough room to breathe.’
Marina also prefers a larger, more mature-looking tree with an irregular trunk and an airy canopy. ‘Something that has character and feels as though it could have been there for years,’ says Marina. ‘The scale should feel intentional and architectural rather than decorative.’
This Arbequina olive tree from Trees.com can be grown indoors all year round.
4. How To Style An Olive Tree
(Image credit: Design: Marie Flanigan Interiors / Photography: Julie Soefer )
The way you style an olive tree and the pot you choose, even if it’s a stylish oversized planter, obviously depends on what else is in the room. Olive trees are the perfect specimen for a refined Mediterranean aesthetic. Yet they can work in modern and traditional interior schemes too.
‘This plant can move between aesthetics; it looks completely at home with limestone, plaster, aged woods and linen, but it can also soften very clean, contemporary architecture,’ says Marina.
‘An aged limestone planter is beautiful for grounding an olive tree; the weight, texture and patina bring in that lived-in, historic quality and add to that sense of age and romance.
‘There is an old-world quality to it that feels classic and romantic, almost transporting, while the sparseness of the branches keeps it feeling modern.
‘That juxtaposition is what makes it so beautiful to me: it can make a new space feel more storied, or a traditional space feel a little more relaxed. To me, it’s that mix of nature, architecture and history that makes an olive tree such a good choice.’
This Barnacle Skorpio planter from Anthropologie has a weathered appearance that would suit a mature tree.
Marie also tends to keep the styling quite simple. ‘I often place an olive tree in a beautiful antique ceramic vessel with age and patina, which adds another layer of texture and interest,’ says Marie. ‘The goal is for the arrangement to feel collected and effortless, as though it has naturally found its place within the room.’
In one of Hilton Carter‘s projects, the interior stylist selected a small olive tree for the kitchen table in a light-filled room. He dressed it in a white clay pedestal planter and styled the top of the soil with tonally compatible small white stones.
‘I chose an olive because it’s a perfect tie-in with food, as well as a great indoor plant in a room with abundant direct sunlight,’ he says. ‘When working with small planters that will sit on a table where guests may be eating, I typically like to hide the soil with stones or moss. This gives it a clean, polished look and helps to deter pests.’
5. How to Care For An Indoor Olive Tree
(Image credit: Design: Marie Flanigan Interiors / Photography: Julie Soefler)
Accustomed to hot dry summers, olive trees can adapt well to dry indoor air. ‘Simply keep your plant away from harsh heating vents or cold window drafts,’ says Marina at Plantum.
During the vegetative period, a potted olive tree requires regular, but moderate watering.
‘As a drought-tolerant plant, it handles underwatering far better than overwatering,’ says Marina. ‘Always allow the top inch of soil to dry out between soakings.
‘In winter, reduce irrigation significantly, but never allow the root ball to dry out completely. If your tree looks sparse, leggy, or cheerless from a lack of energy, transition it outdoors once nighttime temperatures stay above 50°F (10°C) – acclimating it gradually to full sun.’
Alternatively, maximize indoor exposure using a sun-drenched south-facing window paired with a full-spectrum grow light.
Marina Prokaten is a resident plant expert for the Plantum app, which helps users identify plant species, diagnose their conditions, and get specific care advice. She has three years experience consulting on botany-related topics for Plantum.
Shop Beautiful Planters
Anthropologie
Antiqued Ceramic Planter
Available in two sizes, this antiqued ring ceramic planter would perfectly suit an olive tree indoors or out.
Target
Round Woven Plant Basket
At H17″ x D14″ this woven patterned plant basket from Hearth and Hand would bring rustic charm to your room.
Lowe’s
Ivory Resin Planter
With a stylish geometric pattern and a 15″ diameter this ivory resin planter would add a modern edge to your plant.
However you choose to style your indoor olive tree, ensure it’s large enough for the space and it will infuse it with elegance – and more.
‘An olive tree brings an organic quality that helps a room feel layered, collected, and connected to the outdoors,’ says Marie, perfectly summing up why this plant instantly makes a room feel more expensive.
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