The olive tree is not strictly a tree as, left to its own devices, it will sprout branches all the way up its trunk which makes it, officially, a bush. Olive trees can live for 700 years or more. This is a pretty meaningless statement, but it just adds weight to the idea that olives can have incredible longevity.
For eating purposes, freshly picked olives are invariably bitter and are traditionally soaked in regular changes of water or brine for up to two weeks, after which they are pickled and put into oil with herbs or spices.
