Empeltre olive tree, is grown mainly in the communities of Baleares and Aragón. There are documents dating to the Empeltre variety from before the 15th century. Currently the Empeltre olive tree has a cultivation area close to 80,000 hectares.
Its cultivation in Spain is located in the Northeast of the peninsula, Aragón, Castellón, Tarragona, Navarra, La Rioja and Baleares. Internationally you can find plantations in Argentina.
Curiosities: the name “Empeltre” derives from the word “Empelt”, which means grafting, referring to the best way to multiply this olive class.
Names or synonyms: In Ibiza, the Empeltre olive tree is known as “Payesa”, in Manacor and other municipalities of Mallorca “Mallorquina”.
Empeltre also receives the names of Zaragozana, Verdiel, Vera, Terra Alta, Password, Oblonga, Navarro, Negra, Male, Llei, Graft, Fine, of Oil, Common and Aragonese.
Characteristics of the Empeltre olive tree
Although it is a little early variety, because it is productive and constant, interest in the Empeltre olive tree is increasing.
Productivity: The olive variety Empeltre, is of entry into production little precocious and has high productivity.
Regularity of bearing : Empeltre is a variety of regular production olive trees (little vecera).
Flowering: Empeltre olive tree is early flowering. Partially fertile with low quality pollen.
Vigor and bearing of the tree: the Empeltre olive tree has vigor medium and erect bearing.
Leaf: variety of Empeltre olive has the leaf elliptic-lanceolate and medium size.
Diseases: the Empeltre olive is considered a rustic variety, adapts well to poor lands and is tolerant to drought. Tolerates well the Verticillium and the Colletotrichum sp in olives, however, is sensitive to repilo, tuberculosis, fly olive tree and winter frost.
Multiplication: Empeltre plant has a low rooting capacity, so it is multiplied by grafting (“Empelt“).
Empeltre olives, morphological characteristics
Empeltre olive variety has good characteristics for the production of oil. The cultivation of this variety is mainly intended for oil production. Empeltre is included within the protected designations of origin Mallorca Oil and Terra Alta Oil.
Maturation: the olive is ripening early
Size: Empeltre olives are medium size (2.5-3 grams).
Shape: The shape of the olive is elongated and slightly asymmetric.
Skin color: olives Empeltre, matures when the skin turns black.
Pulp: Empeltre olives has a medium bone/pulp ratio.
It has been used for dressing in black, but is of inferior quality to Manzanilla Cacereña and Hojiblanca.
Peduncle: Empeltre olive variety has the medium-sized peduncle .
Yield: Empeltre olives have a high fatty yield. The olive yield can exceed 18%.
Collection: Empeltre has low shedding resistance. This aspect greatly facilitates mechanized collection.
Uses: The Empeltre olive is a variety mainly used for oil production. It can also be used for dressing in black, but the bone pulp ratio places it below other olive varieties.
Taste: Empeltre EVOO has a soft and sweet taste, with fruity aromas. The oil is yellow and its flavor is less intense than varieties such as Picual, Hojiblanca, Cornicabra or Arbequina.
Properties: the Empeltre oil is valued for its quality and has the distinctive PDO Terra Alta Oil, PDO Sierra del Oil Moncayo and PDO Mallorca Oil. It has 70% oleic acid, similar to Manzanilla Cacereña.
Advantages: The Empeltre olive tree adapts well to poor land. It also has high and constant productivity, good fat performance and ease of collection.
Disadvantages: The multiplication must be done by grafting and the entry into production is late.
Recommended reading
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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.