I have a potted 'Arbequena' Olive and a regular European Olive. The 'Arbequena' is supposed to be the best about staying small, enjoying life in a pot, cold hardiness, very productive. It bloomed and fruited last year but the olives fell off before they ripened. This year it bloomed later and has a big crop of fruit. I'm not sure how long they will take to ripen. I think it will be fun to press them for oil - I'll probably get like thimble full - woo hoo!

I keep mine in a cool hoophouse during the winter and they are unfazed by low temps but it only gets down to freezing a few times each winter. I don't think they can handle Raleigh winters so they will stay in pots.

I don't know why it's such an issue here. On the mountainous slopes of Italy they grow olives and they have winter like we do tempered by the ocean.