I have a 25 year-old olive tree in my backyard and it isn't hard at all to keep up with the suckers. I finally figured out that people like that look of the suckers grown and sheared into a shrub at the base of the tree. It takes at least two months before I have enough suckers to even bother going out there and cutting them off. I think it takes me about two minutes every two months. The fruitless olive shouldn't be any different. I know mine isn't fruitless :) I love that olive tree! If it didn't produce a ton of fruit it would be perfect!!

When olive trees are really butchered back and it exposes the base of the trunk to sunlight it will start suckering. It's a natural reaction-branches/leaves grow and shade the previously protected trunk. If you let it get out of control it can be very difficult. The easiest way is to never butcher the tree back that far. When suckers appear-pull them off, DON'T trim them off. If you trim them off they will grow back-if you rip them off it will tear off at the trunk and won't grow back. Once the tree develops a rough/callused trunk you will have very few suckers. In all, Olives are great trees. I have 5 on my property in Arcadia. Back in the late 1800's they were planted there to border the citrus groves to protect the young trees from wind. You still see rows of the very old, gnarled trees throughout Phoenix.

Do fruitless olive trees have thorns of any kind?

To:Vicki_grow...I planted a 36" boxed Majestic Beauty fruitless olive in late 2006. No thorns. And a very, very,beautiful tree. BUT...this year (2010) it developed
a bazillion olives!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am so disapointed.
I now have to decide whether I want to keep it and spray
it every single year or rip it out and plant another
--supposedly-- fruitless olive. Tough decision!