Leaving Nothing To Chance In The Quest For The Best Olive Oil
Updated July 5th 2022
Olive oil is prized for its flavour and health benefits, making it a popular ingredient in many kitchens around the world. But making the best olive oil in the world starts with growing the best olive.
Growing The Best Olives For Oil
In order to produce the best-tasting and most nutritious olive oil, it is important to start with high-quality olives. The best olives for flavour are typically harvested early in the season, before they have a chance to ripen fully on the tree. These olives tend to be smaller and more delicate, with a light, fruity flavour. For a heartier, more robust olive oil, look for olives that have been allowed to ripen longer on the tree. These olives will have a deeper colour and a more intense flavour.
Why Olive Oil From Morocco Is The Best In The World
Olives that are grown in warm climates, such as Morocco, will also produce a fuller-bodied olive oil. Morocco has been producing the best extra virgin olive oil for millennia, from the time of the Romans. The existence of centenary trees and traditional presses (maasras), testify to the antiquity of olive oil production. Indeed, olive oil has long been considered a noble food by the local population. So, the Moroccans know a lot about how to cultivate the best olives for olive oil production.
In terms of health benefits, the best olives for olive oil are those that are rich in polyphenols. Polyphenols are antioxidants that can help to protect against heart disease and cancer. Olives that are high in polyphenols tend to be darker in colour and have a more bitter taste. When shopping for olive oil, be sure to check the label to see how many polyphenols the oil contains. The higher the number of polyphenols, the healthier the olive oil is likely to be.
Releasing The Flavour Of The Best Olive Oil
For many lovers of extra virgin olive oil, it’s all about what happens when their bottle is opened and its contents released on to salads, bread and roasts. At Morocco Gold, however, the true magic behind producing the best olive oil in the world starts from the moment a seed is planted.
Morocco Gold olives begin their journey to your plate in a very special valley, nestled in the foothills of Morocco’s Atlas Mountains which benefits from a micro-climate that contributes to the unique flavour of this finest extra virgin olive oil.
Our customers are increasingly interested in the source, provenance and authenticity of our wonderful Morocco Gold extra virgin olive oil and how our olives are grown.
So, we’re delighted to share some information on the life cycle of this most wonderful of fruits.
Flowering
Olive trees produce fruiting shoots called inflorescences, which originate at the axil of a leaf. Each inflorescence will typically contain 10 to 30 flowers depending on the type of olive. The number of flowers that then mature into olives dependent on a number of factors.
The ‘Goldilocks’ Zone
Olive trees require temperatures that are – not too hot – not to cold – but just right!. They require winter cold to achieve normal blooming and fruiting. The optimal degree of cold winters is dependent upon the origin of the olive cultivar (e.g. Eastern Mediterranean vs. Southern Europe). Strong winds, hot temperatures, and freezing temperatures can negatively impact fruit set. Particularly cold springs will negatively impact harvest by delaying blooming and increasing flower abnormalities. Localized winter temperature rises due to development around the tree such as buildings and asphalt can act as a wintertime heat sink, thereby inhibiting fruiting.
The remote, elevated valley in the foothills of the Atlas Mountains provides the ideal balance of temperature throughout the olive growing season.
Blooming
Before flowers bloom, they go through a differentiation period that has to do with the sexuality of the blooms. This generally takes place March through May and results in one of two results (although there is some new research indicating that there may be a third possible result).
Perfect Flowers
Flowers which have both stamen (the male part) and pistil (the female part)
Staminate Flowers
Flowers which have only stamens and lack a pistil (which apparently have been aborted)
Why are there staminate flowers and not just perfect (hermaphroditic) flowers? There are a number of theories and reasons, but the main ones are thought to be :
- It takes a great deal of energy to develop the pistil (or ovule – think of this like the human ovum). The tree has to moderate the number of pistils it is able to develop with the nutrients available to it.
- In order to pollinate the pistil, the tree is dependent on a high volume of stamens – stamens don’t have the same nutrient requirements as the pistils, so the tree exercises her “nutrient economizing” by terminating pistils (ovules) as needed.
Orchard stress, in particular water stress, can negatively impact this portion of development. In competitions between flowers and leaves, the leaves win, and the first floral part to fail is the pistil. A moist soil profile during this period can help prevent this kind of stress.
Pistil abortion occurs naturally and is not perfectly understood. Pistil formation must compete with vegetative growth for nutrients at a time when both are working their hardest. In addition, following a big harvest year, the tree’s nutritional resources have been depleted. Yet, if only 1% – 2% of the flowers are able to set fruit, the grower will still enjoy a satisfactory crop. If a tree is blooming, but no olives develop, this could be because of a mechanical disruption to fruit set. Wind, rain, and/or hail can knock off the blooms just at this critical time of the year.
Pollination
According to the Olive Production Manual (University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources), “…some 500,000 flowers are present in a mature tree…” at time of full bloom. Within two weeks of full bloom, most of the flowers will have failed, with only 1 – 2% then maturing into full-grown fruit.
Self-Pollination
Because of their geometry, olive flowers self-pollinate. The anthers (located at the top of the filaments attached to the stamen) drop pollen on the stigma of the pistil. The pollen grains germinate and olive growth is underway. Though not necessary for pollination, wind and bees may aid in pollination by disturbing the flower causing pollen to fall from the anther to the stigma. Many olive varieties cannot self-pollinate. For these trees, olive pollen is primarily carried by wind. Bees may play a minor role in pollination.
Cross Pollination
Cross-pollination occurs when wind or a bee transfers pollen from one flower to the stigma of another flower. As bees are not particularly fond of olive flowers, they do not typically play a large role in the olive orchard.
Stress – It’s Not Good For Olives Either!
As with us humans, stress on the olive tree and it’s fruit will be detrimental. This may be caused by a number of factors including too much or too little pruning, shortage of water – when the tree will favour the leaf over the fruit and pest infections.
The Annual Cycle
Ground work and tillage is carried out once or twice a year: once in winter to facilitate rainwater infiltration into the soil, and in spring to rotate the soil. Any planting is done at the beginning of spring.
In addition to natural rainfall, which is generally sufficient in the geographical area, trees are irrigated as needed during the period of vegetation of the olive tree, normally until the end of September.
Fruiting sizing and assessment of the maturity of the olive is carried out annually. The planned date of harvest is agreed based on the maturity index of the olives, also the generations of experience of the olive farmers. Harvesting will then normally take place between the end of October and beginning of December.
Morocco Gold olives are harvested by hand using flexible combs. Nets and tarpaulins are placed on the ground to avoid contact between the olives and the ground.
Breton, Catherine, André Berville. “From the Olive Flower to the Drupe: Flower Types, Pollination, Self and Inter-Compatibility and Fruit Set.” Intechopen.com. Intech. 10 April 2013. Chapter 12. Web. 25 May 2017.
G. Steven Sibbett and Louise Ferguson: Olive Production Manual, University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources, Publication 3353, 2005. Print.
“Third Gender Identified in a Close Relative of the Olive Tree.” PHYS.ORG. Science X Network, 30 March 2010. Web. 25 May 2017