Gifted Root began with the admiration for the strength, vitality, and longevity of the legendary trees of Bechealeh in Lebanon and the villagers they continue to provide for. Born near these mystical communities, our founding family was inspired to share their Mediterranean heritage by introducing this beautiful, ancient variety of olive trees to the New World from the Old World.
Over the last four decades we’ve built a family business that we’re incredibly proud of. We welcome you as a part of the Gifted Root family, too, and are honored to be a part of your story as you celebrate, remember, and deepen friendships with our olive trees—gifts of a lifetime.
- Our Beladi trees are exclusive, brought to the USA in 2010 by Olive Grove Partners and Novavine Nursery along with two other unique Lebanese varieties of trees.
- Our Beladis have the DNA of the millenarian olive trees of Bechealeh, believed to be the oldest olive trees in the world. Legend states that the dove brought Noah the olive branch from these trees.
- Our Mediterranean trees are born of hardy regional varieties, nurtured to thrive in today’s world by expert arboriculturists in California and Southern France and certified authentic by Novavine Nursery in Sonoma, CA.
We are committed to ongoing, superior customer care to help you help your tree thrive.
Our work directly supports the communities from which our trees originate as well as the next generation of innovators, cultivators, and peace makers that will lead our communities into the future.
A portion of our sales goes directly to charity work in healthcare and education on the ground in Lebanon and to organizations supporting the health and wellness of underserved children here in the US.
Funding programs at the Schools of the Daughters of Charity
Agricultural training and support for Lebanese villagers
Provide gifts to the nurses at the hospitals of the Daughters of Charity
October 2009
Started the selection of the trees in the villages of Douma and Kfour
July 2010
The first trees make it to California and into USDA quarantine of 2 years
July 2010
Samples from the trees of Bechealeh sent to Cordoba; their DNA was Beladi
Mar 2013
Samples from a tree of the Willani grove sent to Cordoba; its DNA was Beladi
Sept 2017
Samples of our 3 varieties were sent for research at Oregon State University
Jay runs our partner nursery, Novavine, in the pristine Sonoma Valley in Northern California. A second generation leading horticulturist and arboriculturist, Jay brings unparalleled expertise on how to nurture olive trees into adulthood on American soil.
A Civil Engineer since 1980 and a real estate developer since 1984, Fred (born Farid) Sami Rebeiz is an immigrant from Lebanon. He wants to complete the mission of his ancestors, the Phoenicians, and share his mother country's Mediterranean Heritage in his adopted country.
– Rebeiz