Black olive tree, Bucida buceras, tall indoor tree
Black Olive Tree, Bucida Buceras 'Shady Lady', 200-240cm - Plant Drop
Black olive tree in the Plant Drop showroom
Black olive tree canopy, detail
Black Olive Tree, Bucida Buceras 'Shady Lady', 200-240cm - Plant Drop
Black Olive Tree, Bucida Buceras 'Shady Lady' - Plant Drop

Our plants are photographed true to scale, with natural variation in form

Black Olive Tree

Bucida Buceras — Statement trees sourced from Florida, USA

Regular price£1,195
/
Total Height (Including Nursery Pot)

Fits Planter Opening: 47cm+

Hand-picked for quality and form

200-220cm

  • Nursery pot (diameter × height): ⌀45cm × H39cm
  • Decorative pot required (opening): 47cm+
Ceiling Height Guide

Ceiling Height Recommended Plant Height Typical Space
200–220 cm 150–170 cm Modern apartments / contemporary homes
240–270 cm 170–200 cm Victorian or Edwardian rooms
280–300 cm 220–240 cm Period properties / warehouse conversions
300 cm+ 250–270 cm Double-height or mezzanine spaces

 

How To Pair A Decorative Pot

For no fuss or mess you can place the plant in its growing pot (the pot it arrives in) inside a decorative one. This allows allows excess water to be drained after watering.

For a good fit the opening (not diameter) and height of the new decorative pot need to be several centimetres greater than the current growing pot. Here is how we measure and list pot sizes:

Remember to take into account tapering, as the internal height of a pot will be measured from the centre to the top but the sides will taper in a rounded pot.

We recommend using a liner to protect your decorative pot and prevent leaking (whether placing the nursery pot inside or repotting directly into the decorative pot). 

Read more about how to pot your plant here.


Plant Suitability

Preferred Location: Direct bright light

Care Level: Experienced

Care Instructions

When your plant arrives, follow these simple steps to help it settle into its new home.

For plant specific detail read our full Black Olive care guide.

  • Choose a suitable place with appropriate light - check our Light Guide
  • Carefully remove the plant from its packaging and allow it to adjust to its new environment.
  • Before watering, check the soil with your finger. If the top few centimetres feel dry, water lightly. If still moist, allow the soil to dry before watering.
  • Ensure the plant sits in a well-draining pot or nursery container, allowing excess water to drain away. (If planted follow our potted plant advice here)
  • Avoid moving the plant frequently during the first few days, allowing it time to acclimatise to its new surroundings.
  • Check your plant regularly and adjust watering and light as needed.

Following these simple steps will help your plant establish and thrive in its new space.

Plants often take 7–10 days to begin adjusting to a new environment -  light and temperature conditions - and some leaf movement or drop during this period is completely normal. 

For tailored advice you can speak to our Ai Horticulturalist here for specific advice to establish your plant or read our expert nurture guides. 

30-day Guarantee

If your plant isn’t thriving within 30 days, we’ll work with you to resolve it.

Our team will guide you first to help your plant settle into its new environment, and where appropriate, we’ll offer a replacement or credit.

Find out more about the 30-day guarantee .

For ongoing peace of mind beyond the first 30 days, you can extend your cover with Plant Protection.

Delivery

Most orders arrive within two weeks. We'll arrange your delivery and confirm the day in advance.

London Rest of UK
Small & medium — plants under 170cm, pots, liners, accessories
Courier · complimentary over £150 £6 £6
Hand delivery £25
Delivered & placed £45
Large — plants 170–220cm, large planters
Hand delivery · pallet outside London £25 £50
Delivered & placed £65 £125
Extra large — plants 220cm+, specimens, two-person pieces
Hand delivery £35 £100
Delivered & placed £75 £150

Courier — boxed and tracked; you'll get a dispatch email with a tracking link.
Hand delivery — our own team, to your door or ground-floor room.
Delivered & placed — two people, carried to the room you choose, unpacked, positioned, packaging taken away. Potting is a separate service.

We currently deliver to mainland UK only — not Northern Ireland, the Isle of Wight or the Scottish Islands; Scotland and remote postcodes are quoted before dispatch. Costs are calculated at checkout based on your items and postcode. See our delivery page for more.

Returns

On arrival — if anything isn't right, contact us within 48 hours with photographs and we'll put it right, covered by our 30-day plant guarantee.
Change of mind — let us know within 14 days. Plants, pots and accessories must be in their original, resaleable condition. Returns are subject to a collection charge, or can be sent back by post at your own cost; the outgoing delivery charge isn't refunded.

Space

Indoors

Light Conditions

Full sun

Watering

This tree likes to remain moist, but not soggy. Allow the tree slightly longer between waterings in winter.

Temperature

Minimum temperature of 15°C.

Feeding

Use a houseplant feed in the growing season (spring and summer)

Top Tip

Bucida are prone to dropping leaves but they also regrow very quickly.

Bucida Buceras 'Shady Lady'

Black Olive Tree

The indoor tree that looks just like a tree. You need high ceilings and lots of light, but what a statement if you have the room.

Bucida buceras is known by a variety of names, including bullet tree, black olive tree, gregorywood (or gregory wood), Antigua whitewood, and Oxhorn bucida.

It is native to Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and northern South America, and is commonly found in coastal swamps and wet inland forests in low elevations.

The Bucida Buceras is a tropical tree with a native appearance. This unique characteristic makes the tree very popular in many plantscaping projects because it brings the outdoor atmosphere inside.

Black Olive Tree, Bucida Buceras 'Shady Lady' - Plant Drop
Black Olive Tree, Bucida Buceras 'Shady Lady', 200-240cm - Plant Drop

Nurture Guide

Bucida require bright sunlight and will not thrive in shaded spots.

This tree likes to remain moist, but not soggy. Water whenever the soil is starting to become dry to the touch. Winter watering might need to be reduced depending on the brightness and warmth of the space.

This tree takes time to situate and will drop leaves, and continue to, but it will constantly replace those leaves.

Pet safety

Preferred Soil

Houseplant Mix

Characteristics

Evergreen

The indoor tree that looks just like a tree. You need high ceilings and lots of light, but what a statement if you have the room.

Bucida buceras is known by a variety of names, including bullet tree, black olive tree, gregorywood (or gregory wood), Antigua whitewood, and Oxhorn bucida.

It is native to Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and northern South America, and is commonly found in coastal swamps and wet inland forests in low elevations.

The Bucida Buceras is a tropical tree with a native appearance. This unique characteristic makes the tree very popular in many plantscaping projects because it brings the outdoor atmosphere inside.

Please read before you buy

This is one of the most beautiful trees we sell and one of the trickiest. It is for experienced plant owners with a bright, warm, draught-free room, and it will not forgive erratic care. If you are new to large indoor trees, a Weeping Fig or Kentia will give you a far easier life. We would rather you chose one of those than struggled with this one.

Best space & place

Bright light all year, ideally near a large south- or west-facing window. Keep it away from draughts, doors, radiators and air conditioning. Sudden changes in temperature or light are the most common reason these trees decline.

When to water & feed

Spring and summer, in high light and active growth: keep the compost evenly moist but never soggy. Check with a finger and water when the top few centimetres are starting to dry.

Autumn and winter: taper the watering right down as the light drops. The tree slows almost to a stop and sitting wet is what kills it. Water only when the compost is dry a good 3cm down, and expect that to be far less often than in summer. Do not water to a schedule.

Need to know

This tree takes time to settle and will drop leaves while it does. Over winter it will often defoliate heavily before flushing again in spring; this is normal, not a fault, and it is not covered by our guarantee. If you are buying between October and March, expect the winter drop and water very sparingly until the days lengthen.

Decorative pot not included. The plant will be delivered in a plastic nursery pot.

Why Plant Drop?

hand-picked

Every plant is selected & inspected by our horticultural team

Mature plants

Architectural plants from specialist growers in small batches

30 day guarantee

We will help your plant settle into its new home and provide expert advice whenever needed

Specialist

Delivery

Plants are either hand delivered or carefully prepared and packed in specially designed boxes to help protect them in transit.

luxury

Printed care guides

Every plant is dispatched with a printed care guide helping you welcome it home.

Add on

Plant protection

Optional cover for one replacement plant in your first year.

Lifetime support

Horticulturalists At Hand

Our advice comes from plant experts who are RHS certified and look after high-end planting every day.

Complete The space


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