Picholine Marocaine olive tree, is a traditional olive variety in Morocco. The variety is similar to the Algerian olive tree Sigoise, with which it is likely to have some kinship. The name Picholine Marocaine groups several olive varieties or clones of Picholine Marocaine. The INRA of Morocco has done selection work on the best clones and existing varieties. In Morocco, the Picholine Marocaine olive variety exceeds 700,000 hectares, occupying a 96% of the traditional area of olive grove. 
Curiosities: Picholine Marocaine is very resistant to the aridity of African lands, so it is also used as a pattern of the olive variety Picholine Languedoc (less true). Picholine du languedoc and Picholine Marocaine are olive clones.
Names or synonyms: The olive tree Picholine Marocaine is known by several names: Bousbina, Beldi, Bouchouika, Zitoun, Zit, Soussia.
Characteristics of the Picholine Marocaine Olive Tree
Picholine Marocaine olive tree is rustic and withstands rain shortage well. Picholine Marocaine oil is fluid, withstanding temperatures well below zero, being highly valued for use in the canning industry.
Productivity: the Picholine olive tree, is of medium precocity and high productivity, its precocity is improved in olive groves over cooler grounds.
Regularity of bearing: the variety of olive tree Picholine Marocaine has alternating productions in Morocco (low regularity). Studies in Spain, in rainfed plantations, with a rainfall of 360 liters/m 2 and support irrigation, indicate regular crops of 4,500 kg/ha.
Flowering: olive Picholine Marocaine is medium flowering and its pollen is partially self-compatible. On the other hand, it produces a large amount of pollen, being a good pollinator.
Vigor and bearing of the tree: Picholine olive variety has vigor high and erect bearing. The cup density is average.
Leaf: Picholine Marocaine olive tree has the elliptical-lanceolate leaf medium size.
Diseases: This variety of olive tree from Morocco, has a high resistance to drought, however, it is sensitive to the repilo and the olive fly.
Multiplication: The Picholine olive plant has medium rooting capacity.
Picholine Marocaine olives, morphological characteristics
The Picholine Marocaine olives, is the most cultivated in Morocco for being well at dry weather. It is a versatile variety, suitable for oil mill and dressing. Picholine olive oil is stable and of very good quality.
Picholine Marocaine table olives have a firm pulp of excellent quality.
On the other hand, the bone detaches well and endures the alkaline treatments well (cooked or sweetened with caustic soda).
Maturation: Picholine Marocaine is a variety of olive tree ripening early.
Size: The Picholine Marocaine variety produces olives of medium size (3 grams).
Shape: Picholine olives are elliptical and asymmetric.
Skin color: The Picholine Marocaine olive has black color when it reaches full maturity. For dressing, the olive can be harvested in both green and black.
Pulp: Picholine Marocaine has been traditionally used as a table olive. Very well valued, thanks to its quality pulp, which easily detaches from the bone and its firmness, superior even to the variety of Hojiblanca olive tree.
Peduncle: The olive variety Picholine Marocaine has the short peduncle.
Yield: Picholine olive tree has a medium yield (17-20%). The separation of pulp and oil is more difficult than that of other varieties, requiring longer beating times. Therefore, it is advisable to make adjustments in the mill machinery when processing the Picholine olives.
Collection: Picholine Marocaine olives have low resistance to shedding.
Uses: Picholine Marocaine is a variety of double aptitude.
Advantages: Adaptation of Picholine Marocaine to arid lands, high productivity, high stability of Extra Virgin olive oil. Well valued as a table olive, good pollinator.
Disadvantages: Difficult to extract oil, sensitive to Repilo.
Picholine Extra Virgin Olive Oil
The Picholine Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) is of excellent quality, highly appreciated in Morocco and in the rest of the world (preserved in olive oil). Picholine olive oil is very stable (resists oxidation well) and the oil density is fluid.
Properties: Picholine olive oil is rich in oleic acid (71%). In addition, fluid is maintained at temperatures up to -12°C.
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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.