Olive Tree Cultivated Varieties

Olive tree hedge of five different cultivars

Our Cast of Venerable Characters has been these cultivars and others:

*Arbequina *Arbosana *Chemlali *Coratina
*Frantoio *Leccino*Pendolino

*Picual *Picholine *Santa Caterina
*Seedling (Wild Olive)

As of 2024, our inventory consists of almost entirely Arbequina trees in 65-gallon and larger pots.

Arbequina

A small tree (20'). Self-fertile and a good pollinator for other cultivars. Starts fruiting early (4 years). Relatively cold hardy. Widely adaptable. Small fruit but very small pit, so has a surprising amount of flesh.
Origin: Spain (Catalonia)

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THE TASTE OF PICKLED OLIVES HAS MUCH
MORE TO DO WITH THE PROCESS AND RECIPE
USED THAN THE CULTIVAR OF OLIVE
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Arbosana

Semi-dwarf cultivar (20'). Vigorous. Bushy growth habit. Medium-sized fruit.
Origin: Spain

Pendolino

Tree of weeping habit with small leaves and fruit. Needs a pollinator. In Italy, widely used as a pollinator for other cultivars.
Origin: Central Italy

Picual

Short, bushy tree with particularly gray leaves. Large fruit. Self-fertile.
Origin: Spain

Santa Caterina

Large, spreading tree with large fruit. Needs a pollinator.
Origin: Italy

Seedlings (Wild Olive)

Seedling olive tree

Trees grown from seed. Fruiting potential unknown. Often used as root stock for grafting named cultivars.