If you’re looking to increase your knowledge of trees, and are looking for some new tree species to learn about, you’ve come to the right place. Here is the list of trees that start with O.
We like to make lists of different types of trees, and to narrow down the search and keep things organized, we class them by the letter their name starts with!
In this list, we’re going to name all of the trees we can think of that start with the letter O, so if you want to know which ones they are…stick around!
We won’t bore you with a long introduction. So here are all of the trees that start with O, that we can think of!
1. Oak Tree
The oak tree, from the genus Quercus, is an incredibly popular tree from the Fagaceae family, which contains 500 different subspecies.
It is native to the Northern Hemisphere and thrives in temperate climates.
One can find this in many places, but North America, in particular, is home to the largest amount of Oak tree species, with a few that are endemic!
Oak trees are easy to identify by their spirally-arranged leaves, as well as for their overall appearance.
They bloom during the spring, with small flowers, and produce a nut called an acorn, which is not only delicious but also an iconic food source for squirrels and many other types of animals!
Oaks are famous for their durability and hardiness, and oak wood is amongst the most popular types of wood in the world, used for many things, and considered to be quite high-end and valuable.
Plus, oak trees have a great spiritual and mythological significance, especially within Celtic mythology, as this tree was sacred to the Druids!
2. Oil Palm Tree
The Oil Palm Tree, officially known as the Elaeis guineensis, is a type of palm tree sometimes also referred to as the African oil palm, or the macaw-fat.
It is native to the regions of the west and southwest Africa (especially Angola and Gambia), and this is where the scientific name actually comes from!
The people best know that oil palm tree is the primary source of palm oil, which makes them pretty valuable.
Therefore the people mass-cultivate it in the regions around the world where it is able to thrive. With exporting palm oil for all sorts of valuable uses, not only in cuisine, but in cosmetics, cleaning products, and more!
3. Oleander Tree
The Oleander tree, officially known as the Nerium oleander, is a small tree that belongs to the Apocynaceae family, native to the Mediterranean Basin.
The people cultivate It is most often for landscaping and decorative purposes and one can find it all over the world nowadays.
It is famous mainly for its unpleasant and bitter taste and is also poisonous (so please don’t consume it!).
Usually, this tree will grow to around 20 feet (ca. 6 m) tall at the most, and it is famous for being pretty hardy, and able to resist both drought and inundation!
It blooms during the summer, with pink and red flowers that grow in clusters.
People are always warned to stay away from this tree since it is poisonous in many of its components. Even exposure to its bark or its sap can cause irritation and dermatitis of many kinds!
So you can admire it, but best to do so from a safe distance!
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4. Oleaster Tree
The Oleaster tree, officially known as the Olea oleaster, is sometimes better known as the wild olive, and it is native to regions of western and Central Asia.
It is a subspecies of the olive tree and is similar to it in many ways.
The main identifiers of this tree are the alternate leaves, the fruits (which are similar to cherries), and the fragrant yellow flowers it blooms.
In Ancient Greece, branches from the Oleaster tree is in use to create the olive wreath and typically award it to the victors of the Olympic Games. Therefore the people consider it to be a sacred tree.
The fruit that it bears is also significant in Iranian culture. Because it is one of the seven things they place on the table during their New Year celebrations!
Nowadays, you can still find plenty of Oleaster wild olive trees around the Mediterranean region, and in its place of origin.
Although the domesticated olive tree is becoming more popular due to its higher value in usage.
5. Olive Tree
The Olive tree, officially known as the Olea europaea, is an evergreen tree native to the Mediterranean regions of Europe, Asia, and Africa.
It is easy to identify by its oblong gray leaves and its white flowers.
It has a popular significance within myth and culture, as well as history, and it is also a tree of great value for many present-day reasons.
For example, the olive tree is the main source of olives, widely consumed all over the world, and an important part of the Mediterranean diet, and they are also the main source of essential olive oil.
However, they are also valuable for their wood, as olive wood is incredibly durable, and is beautiful for crafting work and furniture.
In fact, olive wood, and any products derived from olive trees, are quite expensive! This is because they are essentially seen as being quite high-end.
Oh, and fun fact, olive trees live for a very long time. The average lifespan is around 500 years, but the oldest known olive tree is an incredible 1500 years old!
That will have definitely lived through some impressive history.
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6. Orangebark Tree
The Orangebark tree, officially known as the Maytenus bilocularis, is a tree native to eastern Australia, best known for the orange-like color of its bark (much as the name suggests!)
This tree can grow up to about 33 feet (ca. 10 m) high, and it is easy to identify not only by the color of its bark but also by the leaves, as they have toothed edges.
The Orangebark blooms between September to December, with beautiful clusters of white flowers.
You can most often find the tree in regions of dry rainforests and are quite popular in Queensland and New South Wales.
7. Orange Jasmine Tree
The Orange Jasmine tree, officially known as the Murraya paniculata, is a small type of tree that belongs to the Rutaceae family.
The best to identify it is by its smooth bark, feathery leaves, and the red-orange fruit that it produces, which is hairy.
It is native to South Asia, Southeast Asia, and Australia, and is quite popular for landscaping in gardens and public spaces, as it is quite a visually appealing tree.
The tree blooms with beautiful cream-colored flowers, which have a strong appeasing fragrance, sometimes used in essential oils.
Many people choose to plant this tree in their garden because it attracts bees and small birds, helping the local ecosystem and bringing life to its surrounding areas!
8. Orange Tree
The Orange tree, officially known as the Citrus sinensis, is the tree cultivated to produce sweet oranges, which are the most common type.
However, there are many types of orange trees all around the world!
These trees have great agricultural value, as the orange is one of the most popular and commonly-consumed fruits, all around the world. Both raw, cooked, and in the form of juice!
But the orange tree is useful for more than just its fruit.
One can make orange tea by boiling the leaves. The wood is in use for seasoning grilled meat, and for creating small and delicate wooden elements such as cuticle pushers (then used in manicures and pedicures!).
The orange flower is also the state flower of Florida, and it is in use for its fragrance in perfumes and essential oils.
So all in all, the orange tree is incredibly useful and significant!
9. Orchid Tree
The Orchid tree, officially known as the Bauhinia Variegata, is a type of deciduous flowering tree, medium in size, belonging to the Fabaceae family.
It is native to China, Southeast Asia, as well as to India, and the people refer to it sometimes as the mountain ebony.
Although people call it an orchid tree, it doesn’t actually belong to the orchid family, which can be quite confusing!
The buds of the tree are edible and are actually incredibly popular within Indian and Pakistan cuisines, they are in use in many recipes, to create all sorts of delicious dishes!
However, the orchid tree is most often in use for ornamental purposes, decorating gardens, and public spaces.
It is easy to identify by its flowers, which are usually bright pink or white in color, with five petals.
10. Oysterwood Tree
The Oysterwood tree, officially known as the Gymnanthes Lucida, is a small and evergreen tree from the Euphorbiaceae family.
It is native mainly to Florida, in the United States, as well as the Bahamas, the Caribbean, and Central America (including Mexico).
It is easy to identify because it grows with a single trunk that is incredibly straight and has a narrow crown of foliage on top.
Most often, this tree is for ornamental purposes, used in the landscaping of gardens and public spaces.
The flowers that it blooms are minuscule and green. The fruit that it produces is essentially like a small capsule that has three different parts, each part containing seeds.
Final Thoughts
These are just some of our top favorite trees that start with O, which we find interesting and that are popular around the world.
But there are more you can discover, so we hope this is just a starting point for you!
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