Grossane facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Grossane |
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Grossane from France
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| Olive (Olea europaea) | |
| Color of the ripe fruit | Black |
| Also called | Groussan, Grossanne |
| Origin | France |
| Notable regions | Vallée des Baux, Bouches-du-Rhône |
| Hazards | Olive fruit fly, Prays oleae, Sooty moulds |
| Use | Oil and table |
| Oil content | Low |
| Fertility | Self-sterile |
| Growth form | Spreading |
| Leaf | Lanceolate |
| Weight | High |
| Shape | Spherical |
| Symmetry | Slightly asymmetrical |
The Grossane is a special type of olive tree. It mostly grows in southern France, especially in the Vallée des Baux and Bouches-du-Rhône areas. While you can make oil from it, Grossane olives are mostly eaten as delicious black table olives. They can get sick from some plant pests, but they are very strong against cold weather and dry spells.
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About the Grossane Olive
Where Does it Grow?
You'll find Grossane olives mostly in southern France, in places like the Vallée des Baux and Bouches-du-Rhône. Sometimes, you can even find them growing as far away as China!
What Makes it Special?
The Grossane olive tree is a medium-sized plant. Its branches spread out, and its leaves are shaped like a spear, not too long or wide. The olives themselves are quite heavy and have an oval shape. They are also a little bit uneven on each side.
The seed inside the olive has a round top and a pointy bottom. Its surface feels a bit rough.
Grossane olive trees flower and ripen their fruit at a middle speed. When the olives are fully grown and ready to pick, they turn a dark black color.
How is it Used?
Even though you can use Grossane olives for two things, they are mostly picked to be eaten. These black olives have a sweet taste. The best part is that their seed, or stone, doesn't stick to the fruit's flesh. This makes them easy to eat!
You can also press Grossane olives to make oil. However, they don't produce much oil, and the oil doesn't last very long. People say the oil has a "delicate flavor" with a hint of citrus and fruitiness. Some even think it tastes a bit like tomatoes.
Growing Grossane Olives
Grossane olive trees don't produce a huge amount of olives on their own. But, if farmers use irrigation (watering the plants) and fertilizer, the trees can grow much better.
It's hard for new Grossane trees to grow from cuttings. Because of this, they are often grafted onto other olive tree roots. Grossane trees cannot pollinate themselves. They need other olive trees nearby to help them make fruit. Some good pollinators for Grossane include the Boutellian and Aglandau olive trees.
These trees are not very good at fighting off certain plant pests. For example, they can be affected by the olive fruit fly and a type of fungus called sooty moulds. But on the bright side, Grossane trees are very tough! They can handle cold weather and dry conditions really well.
