Available Varietals

Italian Varietals

Frantoio: Widely grown in Tuscany, Umbria, and other parts of Italy, The trees are only of medium height and bigger.They are self fertile and production is high and constant. This variety's oils range from very light and fruity to somewhat peppery, depending on the stage at which the olives are harvested.

Leccino: Another Italian favorite, especially in the traditional olive-growing regions of Tuscany and Umbria. Leccino is self sterile so it must be planted with other varieties such as Pendolino. Leccino olives produce a very fine, gentle, mellow and fruity oil. This oil will tone down more strongly flavored oils such as Frantoio and Coratina.

Pendolino: Is considered a universal pollinator and is compatible with all other cultivars. This cold hardy varietal orginated in Tuscany. It is a constant good producer and grows 20+ feet in height.

Spanish Varietals

Arbequina Standard and Arbequina clones: Grown throughout Spain, these trees prove adaptable to a variety of climates. They are cold hardy and self pollinating. Suitable for very high-density plantings, they thrive with as little as five feet between trees. While shorter than other varieties at maturity, these trees produce well after only two or three years in the ground, and their small olives produce a very sweet oil, with a delicate almond overtone.

Arbosana: Recently reintroduced to capitalize on their ability to produce early, and on their suitability for high-density planting, this heirloom variety of Spanish olives produces a stronger-flavored oil, often mixed with lighter oils to improve "bite" and "nose," and to increase the shelf life of the bottled product.

Coratina: Is a variety that is grown widely in the Puglia region of Italy. This variety is cold hardy and self sterile so it will need a pollinator like Pendolina. It is medium sized - around 15 to 20 feet. It is constant bearing and a very heavy producer. Coratina oil is very stable and has undertones of apples and pepper. It becomes milder with age with an almond undertone.

Manzanillo: This highly productive variety originated in Spain but is widely grown in the Middle East and the United States. The olives are primarily used for the table. the black olives that you find on the supermarket shelves are most likely Manzanillo. This variety neds a pollinator; Sevillano or Pendolino. Manzanillo bears in 4 to 5 years and production is alternate good. These trees have medium resistance to cold as well as to changes in weather.

Picual: This is the most widely grown varietal in Spain and accounts for half of all olive production in that country. It orginated is in what was the Moorish area of Spain. It is a vigorous, hardy, adaptable tree. It is medium cold resistant, and yields large amounts of fruit. Strains similar to this variety are commonly found throughout the Middle East. Its oil has pungent taste with an undertone of figs, because the oil has such a high polyphenol content it can have a bite to it and has a very long shelf life.

Greek Varietals

Koroneiki: This variety, which originated in Crete, is suitable for high-density orchards, and producesin two to three years after planting. The Koroneiki accounts for 75 percent of olive production in Greece. Although these trees bear small fruit, they give high and constant yields. Their olives produce an especially delicious, fruity oil with a slight undertone of green apple and leafy grass. The finish has a pleasant pepperiness and light bitterness. The oil also has a great shelf life.

Tunisian Varietals

Chemlali: This variety is the most common cultivar in the central and southern regions of Tunisia. It is resistant to drought and very cold hardy. Chemlali is self fertile and begins to bear early. It is a constant intermediate producer. The oil has a mild, fruity flavor that stands alone or blends well with other varieties.