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“Nocellara del Belìce” olive is one of the Sicilian indigenous varieties, probably dating back to ancient Greece. Highly prized, in 1998 it was awarded the P.D.O. certification and is also known as “Olive from Mazara” or “Castelvetrano”, “Tonda” and “Trapanese”.
This variety features an impressive size and can be used to produce extra virgin olive oil and as a table vegetable. The plants are self-incompatible, but for pollination, while other cultivars are generally used, including, in particular, “Giarraffa” and “Piducuddara”.
Nocellara olive plants appear of medium vigour, with moderately expanded growth and crown.
The olives (drupes) are spherical and symmetrical, with a rounded apex and base: they weigh between 0.14 and 0.21 ounces, with the surface dotted with large lenticels and an excellent ratio between stone and pulp; the latter has remarkable compactness.
Ripening begins quite late and the drupes darken until they almost turn violet.

Productivity yield is very high and not subject to alternation, with a medium-high oil yield often greater than 20%. These plants can survive the olive fruit fly (“Bactrocera oleae”) but not the bacterial infection caused by Pseudomonas savastanoi, nor the disease brought by the Chondrostereum purpureum fungus.
They may also suffer from the attacks of the Verticillium dhaliae fungus and Spilocaea oleaginea fungi.

Widespread in the olive growing district around Trapani, the “Nocellara del Belìce” variety has also adapted to some other cultivation areas in Agrigento, Palermo and on the eastern part of the island.

The oil produced with this type of olives looks yellow or intense green, with very low acidity (less than 0.5%); it also comes with a fruity olive scent of medium intensity, with notes of almond, green tomato, cut grass, artichoke and, sometimes, aromatic herbs. Its taste is bitter, quite spicy and very slightly sweet.

This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)