Oleaceae are woody plants native to forested regions. Most members are trees or shrubs, but a minority, such as most jasmines, are woody climbers. Plants of the family are distributed throughout the world, except for the Arctic; they are especially abundant in tropical and temperate Asia. The tropical and warm-temperate species are evergreen; those from the colder North Temperate Zone are deciduous.

the olive family

A number of plants in the family are of economic or aesthetic importance: the olive tree is the source of olives and olive oil; the ashes (genus Fraxinus) are noted for their hardwood timber; and many genera are famous for their horticultural merit—e.g., Syringa (lilacs), Jasminum (jasmines), Ligustrum (privets), Forsythia (golden bell), and Osmanthus (tea olive).

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Britannica Editors. "Oleaceae". Encyclopedia Britannica, 16 Mar. 2009, https://www.britannica.com/plant/Oleaceae. Accessed 15 August 2026.