Olivière facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Olivière |
|
|---|---|
| Olive (Olea europaea) | |
| Color of the ripe fruit | Black |
| Also called | Pointue, Becaru, Ouana |
| Origin | France |
| Notable regions | Languedoc-Roussillon |
| Hazards | Bactrocera oleae, Saissetia oleae, Soil moisture, Sooty moulds |
| Use | Oil |
| Oil content | Low |
| Fertility | Self-sterile |
| Growth form | Drooping |
| Leaf | Elliptic |
| Weight | High |
| Shape | Ovoid |
| Symmetry | Asymmetrical |
The Olivière is a special type of olive tree. It grows mostly in southern France, especially in a place called Pyrénées-Orientales. This olive tree is very popular there. People love it because it can handle very cold weather.
The Olivière is mainly used to make olive oil. Even though each olive doesn't have a lot of oil, the trees grow tons of olives! And the oil it makes is really good.
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Where Olivière Olives Grow
You can find Olivière olive trees mostly in the Pyrénées-Orientales area of France. They also grow in other French regions like Aude and Hérault.
But these tough trees aren't just in France! You can also find them in Italy, Algeria, and even as far away as China.
Other Names for Olivière Olives
The Olivière olive tree has many different names, depending on where you are. In southern France, people might call it Bécaru, Galinenque, Laurine, Michelenque, Ouana, Palma, Pointue, or Pounchude.
If you go to Italy, you might hear it called Olivio Galliningo or Olivio Laureolo.
What Makes Olivière Olives Special
This olive tree is very strong and can grow to be quite tall. Its branches hang down, and its leaves are shaped like an oval.
The olives themselves are heavy and have a bulging, pointed shape. They are also a bit uneven, or asymmetrical. Inside, the olive stone has a pointed tip and a round bottom.
Olivière olives grow early in the season. They are usually ready to pick in October. When they are fully ripe, the olives turn a brown color.
How Olivière Olives Are Used
Olivière olives are mostly used to make olive oil. You can also eat them, but that's not their main use.
These olives don't produce a huge amount of oil from each fruit, usually about 13% to 15%. But the trees make up for this by growing a lot of olives!
Olivière trees start producing fruit very quickly, sometimes in just two or three years. A grown-up tree can produce as much as 100 kilograms (about 220 pounds) of olives in a single year! The oil from these olives smells like fruit, almonds, and fresh apricots, with a little hint of spicy mint.
Growing Olivière Olive Trees
Farmers really like the Olivière olive tree because it's strong and produces so much fruit. However, it's a "self-sterile" type of tree. This means it needs other olive trees nearby to help it make fruit.
Other olive trees that help pollinate the Olivière include the Cayon, Picholine, Verdale, and Arbequina varieties.
Protecting Olivière Trees from Pests
One challenge with the Olivière tree is that it can get sick from certain pests. These include tiny creatures like the Bactrocera oleae and Saissetia oleae. They can also get a type of mold called Sooty moulds.
But here's a cool fact: Olivière trees are incredibly good at surviving cold weather! After a super harsh winter in 1956, which destroyed most olive farms in France, many Olivière trees were still alive. Because of this amazing resistance to cold, some Olivière trees are over 400 years old!
