There are hundreds of cultivars of the olive (Olea europaea). As one of the oldest and more important domesticated crops raised by humans, the olive tree has diverged naturally and with the assistance of man into many varieties. Olive cultivars are first and foremost divided into their location of origin; most names for cultivars come from place names. Secondarily, olives may be preferred for olive oil production or for eating as table olives, though many cultivars are dual-purpose.
Also called the Amphissis. This is a common Greek table olive grown in Amfissa, Central Greece near the oracle of Delphi. Amfissa olives enjoy protected designation of origin (PDO) status, and are equally good for olive oil extraction. The olive grove of Amfissa, which consists of 1,200,000 olive trees is a part of a protected natural landscape.
A cold-hardy table variety from the Le Marche region of Italy enjoyed as a table olive. It is also grown in California for olive oil.[3] When harvested and milled when very ripe the resulting olive oil can exhibit an exceedingly fruity character, described by professional tasters as redolent of tropical fruit and peaches.
Ayvalık
Turkey
Also known as Edremit is popular olive type which is produced mostly for oil. The name is coming from the Turkish cities in North Aegean, Ayvalık – Edremit[4] See: Ayvalık#Olive cultivation. Local naming (synonyms) for the Ayvalık variety: Edremit, Yağık, Şakran, Midilli, Ada Zeytini,[5] and Adremittion.[6]
Azeradj
Algeria
Early November harvesting produces Azeradj extra‐virgin olive oil with excellent chemical characteristics.[7]
Barnea
Israel
A modern dual-purpose cultivar bred originally from Kadesh Barnea in southern Israel by Professor Shimon Lavee to be disease-resistant and to produce a generous crop. The oil has a strong flavour with a hint of green leaf. Barnea is widely grown in Israel and in the southern hemisphere, particularly in Argentina, Australia, India and New Zealand. It has also been introduced to Northern California. Best pollinizer is the Picual.[8] Also known as K-18 in Al-Jouf, Saudi Arabia,[9]Jordan and Israel.[10]
Beldi
Morocco
Oil cured (soaked in oil), dark brown to black, and wrinkled after curing.
Biancolilla
Southern Italy, primarily Sicily
The Biancolilla cultivar is one of the most common and one of the oldest produced in Sicily and is used mostly for oils. Its name is because of its change from a light green to a deep wine color at maturity. They don’t require cross-pollination from other cultivars of olives, but are often used by growers of Nocellara del Belice for cross-pollination of those trees, which is sterile without pollination from other cultivars.
grown primarily in the Alpes-Maritimes region near Nice and in nearby Liguria in Italy, where it is known as Taggiasca. When processed for salads it is known as Niçoise.
The cerasuola cultivar is common in Sicily, especially in the Province of Trapani in Western Sicily. It is used for oils and has a high yield, often above 20%. They are drought resistant, an important feature in Sicily where there is often little or no rain from late May until the end of September. It is self-sterile, so needs cross-pollination from other cultivars in order to produce. Other common western Sicilian olives are used for this, primarily the Biancolilla and Nocellara del Belice cultivars
originates from the south-eastern Italian province of Apulia, are very large, mild in flavor, and may be served either green or cured red or black.
Chemlali
Tunisia
Chetoui
Tunisia
Cobrançosa
Portugal
a variety cultivated in Portugal.
Conservolea
Greece
a table olive cultivar, a mainstay of the Greek olive industry, same to Amphisis
Coratina (Coratina Dolce Agogio)
,
Italy, Croatia
One of the most important Italian varieties, especially favoured in the area of Puglia, the largest olive growing area of Italy and also available in Argentina, Australia, and Northern California. This olive has a naturally high level of polyphenols, which yield a robust tasting olive oil. "Synonyms": A Racemi, Belmonte, Cima di Corato, Coratese, Grappola, Grappolina, La Valente, Olivo A Grappoli, Olivo A Raciuoppe, Racemo, Racioppa, Racioppa di Corato, Racioppo,[13]
Cornicabra
Spain
originating in Toledo, Spain, comprises about 12% of Spain's production. It is mainly used for oil. It is the main variety of olive used to make olive oil in Algeria.[14]
Domat
Turkey
a common Turkish green olive, a table olive and grown for oil[4][15]
Dritta
Italy
a variety of olive tree typical of the DOP area known as Aprutino Pescarese in the province of Pescara (Abruzzo). Its olives yield an extra virgin olive oil featuring extraordinary chemical and organoleptic qualities.
Along with Leccino, Frantoio olives are a principal raw material for Italian olive oils from Tuscany. Frantoio is fruity with a stronger aftertaste than Leccino.
Galega
Portugal
Also known as Galega Vulgar, is a variety cultivated in Portugal.
a variety from the Gemlik area of northern Turkey. They are small to medium-sized black olives with a high oil content. This type of olive is very common in Turkey and is sold as a breakfast olive in the cured formats of either Yagli Sele, Salamura or Duble, though there are other less common curings. The sign of a traditionally cured Gemlik olive is that the flesh comes away from the pit easily.
a large, black olive with a smooth and meatlike taste, is named after the city of Kalamata, Greece, and is used as a table olive. These olives are usually preserved in wine, vinegar or olive oil. Kalamata olives enjoy PDO status, and olives of this same cultivar grown outside the Kalamata region are marketed in the EU as Kalamon olives.[18]
originated from the southern Peloponnese area, around Kalamata and Mani, in Greece. This small olive, though difficult to cultivate, has a high yield of olive oil of exceptional quality. Also known as Koroni, Kritikia, Ladolia, Lianolia, Psilolia, and Vaciki[19]
Kothreiki
Greece
a dual-purpose cultivar for oil and table olives
Lechín de Sevilla (also Ecijana or Zorzaleña)
Spain
Ranked fourth in terms of land coverage with 190,000 hectares (470,000 acres). This is an important variety in Andalusia, predominantly in the province of Seville. It is also cultivated in the bordering provinces of Cordoba, Cadiz, and the Málaga. The oil has a fruitiness with the presence of green, bitter, light almond, and pungent attributes that is slightly astringent and smooth on the palate.[20]
found in the south of France (Aude département). They are green, large, and elongated. The stone has an arcuated (bow) shape. Their flavour is mild and nutty.
Maalot
Israel
(Hebrew for merits) is a disease-resistant, Eastern Mediterranean cultivar derived from the North African Chemlali cultivar in Israel. The olive is medium-sized, round, has a fruity flavour and is used almost exclusively for oil production.
a large, rounded-oval fruit, with purple-green skin, originated in Dos Hermanas, Seville, in southern Spain. "Manzanillas" means little apples in Spanish. Known for a rich taste and thick pulp, it is a prolific bearer, grown around the world. Cross breeding: Hybridization of the Picholine and Manzanillo (Bellini et al. 2002b) resulted in the newer cultivars Arno, Tevere, and Basento.[21]
Mastoidis
Greece
A Greek table olive cultivar similar to Tsounati.[22]
originated on the California Missions and now grown throughout the state. They are black and generally used for table consumption.[23]
Morrut (Morruda and Regués)
Spain
Grown in the region of Montsià-Baix Ebre, in the province of Tarragona, and the northern part of Castellón, the fruit exhibits spiciness and a slight bitterness with almond and green apple flavours. This variety, along with Sevillenca and Farga are under the Oil of Baix Ebre-Montsía Designation of Origin. Morrut is not as hearty as other varieties being sensitive to cold and drought. There has not been much expansion with only about 30,000 hectares (74,000 acres).[24]
Nabali
Israel
originated in Israel[25] and is known locally as Baladi, It is also used widely in Israel, Jordan and the Hauran region in southern Syria.
Nafplion
Greece
a small green olive grown only in the Argos valley in Greece. Nafplion olives are traditionally cracked and cured in brine.[26]
a large green olive cultivar primarily grown in Sicily. Also known as Castelvetrano olives in the United States, they have a mild, buttery flavor that makes them popular table olives, though they are also used to produce olive oil.
Nocellara Etnea (also Augghialora, Paturnisa, and Tortorella)
Apulia and central and eastern part of Sicily
16% oil yield with 0.6% acidity, leaves are medium-sized lanceolate and slightly tapered. Taste is fruity with organoleptic properties of green tomato, leaf of grass, almond, thistle, or artichoke[27]
Nyons
South of France
The first olive cultivar in France to receive the Appellation d’Origine Contôlée (AOC) accreditation in 1994. To be designated Nyons Olives, the olive must be of the Tanche variety, and grown within the specified AOC (Now AOP) zone.[28]
from southern Spain (province of Jaén), is the most widely cultivated olive in Spain, comprising about 50% of Spain's olive production and around 20% of world olive production. It has a strong but sweet flavour, and is widely used in Spain as a table olive. With the global cultivation of the tree there are many subvarieties and synonyms.
Synonyms: Callosina (Callolina, Cornicabra, Cornicabra Blanco, Cornicabra Parda, Cornicabra Parda de Villena, Picúa, Yeclana) [30]Campanil (Campanillo, Campanita, Campanita de Ecija, Manzanilla, Manzanilla Real, Manzanilla Cordobés, and Sevillano),[31]Caspolina (Gordal Sevillana, Basta, and Sevillana de Caspe),[32]Gordal Sevillana (Branquita, Forna, Manzanera, Manzanet, Manzaneta, Manzanilla de la Rivera, Mochonenca, Vall de Gallinera, Vall de Gallinera, and Vall de Gallinera), Villalonga[33]Manzanilla Prieta (Bolondo, Manzanilla Basta, Manzanilla Negra, Manzanilla Serrana, Manzanilla Cordobí, Manzanilla Fino, Morisca, Perillo, Perito, Picudo, Varetuda), Pico Limón (Pico Limón de Grazalema, Morisca, Manzanilla del Piquito, Pico Cuervo and Nevadillo de Madridejos), Picual, Sevillano de Jumilla, and Villalonga,[34][35]
Sevillenca (Serrana)
Spain
Synonyms: Falguera in Castellón and Valencia, Mas de Bot or Morrudel in Tarragona, also in Valencia referred to as Serrana de la Sierra, or Serraneta in Valencia, Sevillenc or Solivenc in Tarragona, and Serrana, or Serrana de Espadán in Castellón, Tarragona, Teruel, and Valencia[36] where it has been awarded Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status especially in the Serra d'Espadà and Sierra Calderona areas,[37] and exported to the UK, Italy, Germany, France, Austria, Luxembourg, Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark, Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary, Switzerland, Ireland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Romania, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Finland, Bulgaria, Greece, Sweden, Croatia, Norway, and Serbia.[38]
Named after the town of Sur (Tyre) and mainly cultivated in Southern Lebanon and Northern Israel. It is also relatively widespread in the rest Levant, has a high oil yield and exceptionally aromatic flavour.
Swan Hill Olives®
Australia
Much grown as an ornamental for producing virtually no allergenic pollen or dropped fruit;[39] cultivar registered as trademark of Devil Mountain Tree Company, LLC[40]
The olive, botanical name Olea europaea, meaning 'European olive', is a species of small tree or shrub in the family Oleaceae, found traditionally in the Mediterranean Basin, with wild subspecies found further afield in Africa and western Asia. When in shrub form, it is known as Olea europaea'Montra', dwarf olive, or little olive. The species is cultivated in all the countries of the Mediterranean, as well as in Australia, New Zealand, North and South America and South Africa. It is the type species for its genus, Olea. The tree and its fruit give their name to the Oleaceae plant family, which also includes species such as lilac, jasmine, forsythia, and the true ash tree.
Arbequina is a cultivar of olives. The fruit is highly aromatic, small, symmetrical and dark brown, with a rounded apex and a broad peduncular cavity. In Europe, it is mostly grown in Catalonia, Spain, but is also grown in Aragon and Andalusia, as well as California, Argentina, Chile, Australia and Azerbaijan. It has recently become one of the dominant olive cultivars in the world, largely under highly intensive, "super high-density" plantation.
The Bosana is the most common cultivar of olives in Sardinia. It makes up over 50% of the olive production on the island. The etymology of the name is uncertain, but it could refer to an alleged origin in the territory of Bosa. It is maintained, however, that the cultivar is of Spanish origin. It is used primarily for oil, but can also be eaten. The Bosana is a variety well adapted to less hospitable environments.
The Lucques is a cultivar of olives grown primarily in Languedoc in France. It is primarily used as a green table olive. It can also produce high quality oil, but this is hard to extract. Though vulnerable to certain pests, it is relatively resistant to cold and drought.
The Aglandau is one of the more important of approximately a hundred cultivars of olives in France. It is grown primarily in Provence, but also as far away as Azerbaijan and Ukraine. The 'Aglandau' is primarily used for production of oil, but can also be eaten. When used as table olives, the fruit is normally called Beruguette. The oil is highly valued for its fruity taste.
The Salonenque, carrying the name of Salon-de-Provence, is a cultivar of olives grown primarily in Provence. Though it is used for producing oil, and gives a good yield, it is valued primarily as a table olive. It is produced as a so-called cracked olive, which means that the fruit is cracked to speed up the curing process.
The Picholine is a French cultivar of olives. It is the most widely available cultivar in France. Though originally from Gard in southern France, it is today grown all over the world. The Picholine is best known as a cocktail olive, though it is also used to make olive oil. It is the most common variety of olive used for oil from Morocco.
The Olivière is a cultivar of olives grown primarily in the Pyrénées-Orientales region of southern France, where it is the most prevalent variety of olives. It is highly valued for its exceptionally high tolerance to cold. The Olivière is primarily used for oil, and even though the fruit yields a low percentage, the trees carry large quantities of olives, and the oil is of high quality.
The Bouteillan is a cultivar of olives grown primarily in Provence. Originally from the town of Aups in the Var département, it is today grown also in Australia and the United States. It is mostly used for the production of oil. The Bouteillan is vulnerable to certain pests, but has a good resistance to cold.
The Cailletier, also known in English by the Italian name Taggiasca, is a cultivar of olives grown primarily in the Alpes-Maritimes region near Nice and the Riviera di Ponente, Italy. It is best known under the name Niçoise, which signifies its curing method. It is commonly used as an important ingredient in the salade niçoise. It can also be used for the production of oil. This cultivar is particularly susceptible to the olive fruit fly.
The Germaine, also Ghjermana, Ghermana, Germana, and sometimes as Romana, is a cultivar of olives grown primarily in Corsica, but also in parts of northern Italy. Genetically it is close to the cultivar Frantoio, that is grown in the Italian region of Tuscany. The Germaine has a good yield of oil, and the plant is resistant to cold weather.
The Sabine is a cultivar of olives grown primarily in Corsica. In the Balagne region of Haute-Corse it is the main variety. The olive yields an exceptionally high amount of oil; more than 30%. Vulnerable to certain biological pests, it is relatively tolerant of cold. The Sabine olive variety should not be confused with the olive oil produced in the Sabina region of Italy.
The Cayon is a cultivar of olives grown primarily in the Var region of southern France. It is used primarily for the production of olive oil. The Cayon is highly valued for its role as a pollinator of other olive varieties.
Olea oleaster, the wild-olive, has been considered by various botanists a valid species and a subspecies of the cultivated olive tree, Olea europea, which is a tree of multiple origins that was domesticated, it now appears, at various places during the fourth and third millennia BCE, in selections drawn from varying local populations. The wild-olive, which ancient Greeks distinguished from the cultivated olive tree, was used to fashion the olive wreath awarded victors at the ancient Olympic games. The ancient and sacred wild-olive tree of Olympia stood near the Temple of Zeus, patron of the games.
Patrinia olive is a Greek variety of olive tree grown primarily in Aigialeia, Greece. It is also a native variety in the region of Chalandritsa and nearby villages. The olive fruit is used exclusively for oil production and it has a high oil concentration of around 25%. The number of the cultivated Patrinia trees is no more than 6 million and it makes up 4% of the Greek olive trees.
The Picual, also known as Marteña or Lopereña, is an olive cultivar from Spain. Picual olives are the most commonly grown olive today for olive oil production, with production centered in the Spanish province of Jaén. Picual trees are estimated to account for 25% of all olive oil production in the world. Naturally, this varietal is very high in oil content, at 20-27% by weight.
Olive trees are a major agricultural crop in the Palestinian territories, where they are mostly grown for olive oil production. It has been estimated that olive production accounted for 57% of cultivated land in the Palestinian territories with 7.8 million fruit-bearing olive trees in 2011. In 2014, an estimated 108,000 tonnes of olives were pressed producing 24,700 tonnes of olive oil – which contributed US $109 million in added value to the crop. Around 100,000 households rely on olives for their primary income.
The Bidni, which is also referred to as Bitni, is an olive cultivar from the Mediterranean island of Malta. The fruit is small in size, hearty with a "violet colour", and is renowned for its superior oil which is low in acidity. The latter is generally attributed to the poor quality alkaline soil found on the Maltese Islands. As an indigenous olive cultivar, the Bidni has developed a unique DNA profile, and is believed to be among the most ancient species on the island, triggering local authorities to declare some of these ancient trees as "national monuments", and as having an "Antiquarian Importance", a status which is enjoyed by only a handful of other species.
Ascolano is a cold-hardy table variety olive cultivar from the Marche and Tuscany regions of Italy that is also grown in California for olive oil.
Manzanilla olives ("man-zah-nee-ya") or Manzanillo, also Manzanilla de Sevilla, originally from the area of Seville, Spain, are sometimes referred to as Spanish olives but along with Arbosana, Arbequina, Cacereña, Hojiblanca, Empeltre, and Gordal there are over two hundred varieties grown in Spain as well as other areas.
↑ a., Belaj; z., Satovic; l., Rallo; i., Trujillo (2002). "Genetic diversity and relationships in olive (Olea europaea L.) germplasm collections as determined by randomly amplified polymorphic DNA". Theoretical and Applied Genetics. 105 (4): 638–644. doi:10.1007/s00122-002-0981-6. PMID12582515. S2CID21091953.
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