Olea is a genus of about 20 species in the family Oleaceae, native to warm temperate and tropical regions of southern Europe, Africa, southern Asia and Australasia. They are evergreen trees and shrubs, with small, opposite, entire leaves. The fruit is a drupe.

The Coast Olive usually occurs as a shrub or small rounded tree on sand dunes but can form a lovely ornamental tree in a garden situation. Olea exasperata is an excellent choice for coastal gardens. It has narrow elliptic leathery blue-green leaves and white flowers followed by yellowish-purple fruit that are relished by birds.