Cerignola olive tree (Oliva di Cerignola), is an Italian olive variety present in the Apulia region. Its origin is estimated in the XV century, when it was introduced by the Aragonese. The olive tree produces very large size olives for the production of table olives. Among other names, the variety is also especially known for Bella di Cerignola.
Curiosities: It receives its main name through the municipality of Cerignola, where the largest area of olive groves is concentrated. It also takes the name of Grossa di Spanga for its Spanish origin (It is believed that the Aragonese transported the variety to Italy).
More varieties of table olives: Verdial, Hojiblanca, Ascolana Tenera, Picholine, Alfafara…
Names or synonyms: The Cerignola olive tree is also known by the names: Barilotto, Oliva a Prugna, Oliva Lunga, Oliva a ciuccio, Bella della Daunia, Prugne, Oliva dell’Asino, Oliva Grossa, Manna, Grossa di Spagna, Lunga, Oliva di Cerignola, Bella di Cerignola, Cerignolese, Oliva di Spagna, Prone and Spagnola.
Characteristics of the Cerignola Olive Tree
Productivity: Cerignola olive variety is precocious and of medium productive capacity.
Regularity of bearing: Cerignola is considered a variety vecera or of little constant production.
Flowering: olive tree of late flowering and partially self-compatible pollen The Cerignola olive tree has a large percentage of aborted fruits (35%). Termite di Bitett, Mele and Sant’Agostino are used as pollinators.
Vigor and bearing of the tree: Bella di Cerignola is medium vigor, vertical bearing and medium glass.
Leaf: The Cerignola olive variety has the leaf of elliptic-lanceolate, of length long and medium width.
Diseases: Cerignola olive tree is sensitive to repilo, bold, tuberculosis, olive fly and cold.
Multiplication: The Bella di Cerignola olive plant has low rooting capacity.
Cerignola olive, morphological characteristics
Cerignola olive is appreciated for its very large size, however, the pulp is not of good quality and has certain drawbacks. Usually, the bitterness of Cerignola olives is removed with soda. In addition, the variety is protected by PDO La Bella della Daunia.
Maturation: Cerignola olive variety is early maturation (harvested in mid-October).
Size: Cerignola olive is very large size (over 9 grams).
Shape: Cerignola olive has elliptical and asymmetrical shape.
Skin color: when ripe, Cerignola olive reaches the black color in full maturation, although is harvested mostly for dressing with green color.
Large and numerous lenticels are visible on the skin.
Pulp: Bella di Cerignola is an olive especially valued for its size, which reaches 9 grams, although the bone pulp ratio is low (3), the olive maintains a pulp Large size. The pulp is hard, somewhat fibrous and it is difficult to separate it from the olive bone.
Yield : Bella di Cerignola olive produces olives with low yield.
Collection: Cerignola olive tree has high resistance to detachment.
Uses: mainly used as table olives, they can be found in the market seasoned in green and also in black.
Advantages: very large olives.
Disadvantages: bad behavior against diseases. Insufficient productive capacity.
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Warning
We have translated the information on our website from Spanish to English. Note that some words may have seen their meaning altered during their translation.