Olea europaea 'Picholine' (self-fertile)

Picholine Olive plant produces medium-sized, green olives with a mild, nutty flavour, and is a popular table and cocktail olive. The fruit weights, on average 3 to 5 grams. To be used for oil production, the olives must blacken two months after harvest before going to the mill press. It produces a very fruity, green oil, slightly bitter and pungent. Picholine olive oil is very stable (it resists oxidation). It yields an average 18 to 20% of its fruit weight in oil.

This medium-sized olive tree is traditionally grown in the south of France, and is the most widely available cultivar in that country. It is of medium vigour, and quick fruiting. In order to increase fruit production, Picholine Olive Tree requires 200 chill hours (or 200 hours with temperature below 10 °C).

Olea europaea 'Picholine' is a semi to fully self-fertile Olive Tree. Planting other compatible varieties such as 'Leccino' nearby can improve cross-pollination and so, the number and the size of the fruits. Picholine Olive plant is adaptable to a range of growing conditions, but it is not very cold-resistant. It is recommended to grow them in containers in order to leave them outdoors in full sun during the warm season and bring them back indoors during the coldest months.

Picholine Olive Tree is also known as Picholine du Gard.