Olive: A Familiar Fruit Tree with Distinctive Wood Grain
Wood Dictionary
Olive is familiar for its fruit and oil. As timber, it is known for fine texture and intricate grain and is used for furniture and wooden objects. Here is another way to appreciate a plant already familiar at the table: through the character of its wood.
The photographs are examples of the color and grain associated with each wood or figure. Every piece of natural wood is different; the sheet you receive will not have exactly the same color or grain as the photographs.
Name and basic information
- English name and usual scientific name
- Olive／Olea europaea L. Kew Olea europaea
- Family
- Oleaceae Kew Olea europaea
- Distribution of the usual species
- Widely distributed across the Mediterranean region, Africa, and Asia Kew Olea europaea
- MORI KOUGEI sheet
- A4 (210 × 297 mm); approximately 0.25 mm thick; industrial washi paper backing MORI KOUGEI A4 Veneer Sheet Product Information
An evergreen with silvery leaves
Olive is an evergreen shrub or tree in the Oleaceae family. Its leaves grow in opposite pairs and are known for their silvery appearance. Kew accepts the name Olea europaea and describes a plant distributed not only around the Mediterranean but also widely across Africa and Asia. Kew Olea europaea
Closely associated with Mediterranean landscapes, olive has a long history of cultivation and has also become familiar as a symbol of peace. Knowing both the fruit-bearing tree and the timber obtained from its trunk reveals another dimension to a familiar name. Kew Olea europaea
Fine texture and intricate grain
Kew describes olive wood's fine texture and complex grain as desirable for woodturning and furniture. The wood is also heavy and hard. An interesting pattern does not necessarily mean easy shaping, an important distinction when getting to know a timber. Kew Olea europaea
If the grain is to be the focal point of a piece, first view the whole sheet and decide which lines to retain. Its role changes with the area used: across a box lid, in one corner of a frame, or in a small piece of marquetry. Moving a paper template across the same sheet lets you try different compositions.
A separate trade name from Olive Walnut
We sell Olive and Olive Walnut as separate products. Hoxan introduces Olive Walnut as Picana Negra and places it in the Boraginaceae family. Olive belongs to Oleaceae, so the shared word “olive” should not be taken to mean that the two are the same tree. MORI KOUGEI A4 Veneer Sheet Product Information / Kew Olea europaea / Hoxan: Olive Walnut
Introducing wood pattern through a thin sheet
MORI KOUGEI's A4 product is a facing material approximately 0.25 mm thick, combining natural wood veneer with industrial washi paper. Consider it for bonding to a substrate on furniture edges, small objects, repairs to flat wooden surfaces, marquetry, and similar work. Although it shares the olive name with solid-wood objects, a thick piece of timber and a thin sheet have different roles. MORI KOUGEI A4 Veneer Sheet Product Information
Prepare a flat bonding surface and test adhesion and finishing on an offcut. The photographed grain is one example; pattern positions and tones differ from sheet to sheet. Imagine the orientation of the finished object and arrange the actual sheet to make the most of its character. MORI KOUGEI A4 Veneer Sheet Product Information
View the Olive A4 veneer sheet ↗
Explore related woods
This article draws on publicly available sources from Japan and abroad, with AI used to support research and organization.