Description
(Olea europaea ‘Frantoio’)
The Frantoio is an Italian olive variety that is known for being a good grower in both the ground or when kept in a large pot.
Similar to our other olives, Frantoio would thrive in Mediterranean-like climates, so it’s quite suited to many of Australia’s growing regions.
It’s a good, adaptable tree and can tolerate a good amount of drought as well. They can sometimes be a little more sensitive to extreme heat or cold than other varieties, though they should do well in most of Coastal NSW, for example.
It has a beautiful, dark green foliage with a lighter underside that looks lovely in a light breeze. The natural growth habit can lead to quite a wispy or airy canopy which can be thickened up with regular pruning. At times, it can also grow more like a bush, than a tree, however this can also be altered with regular trimming and shaping as the tree grows.
Fruit can appear when the trees are relatively young, though they will provide larger crops once they’re mature, usually around 8 – 10 years of age in total. Frantoio olives can be used for pickling or for oil production, which makes them quite a prized variety in many parts of the world.
The oil is notably aromatic, fruity, and of great quality. While mature fruit eventually ripens to the purple-black colour, it can be pickled before then when it’s still green or mottled purple.
