The Leccino olive is one of the primary
olive
The olive, botanical name ''Olea europaea'' ("European olive"), is a species of Subtropics, subtropical evergreen tree in the Family (biology), family Oleaceae. Originating in Anatolia, Asia Minor, it is abundant throughout the Mediterranean ...
cultivars used in the production of Italian
olive oil
Olive oil is a vegetable oil obtained by pressing whole olives (the fruit of ''Olea europaea'', a traditional Tree fruit, tree crop of the Mediterranean Basin) and extracting the oil.
It is commonly used in cooking for frying foods, as a cond ...
. Across Italy, it is one of the primary olive cultivars found in olive groves. It is believed to have originated in
Lecce, from which it takes its name, and it is now grown all over the world. Due to its delicate flavor, the olive oil it produces is commonly blended with
Frantoio,
Coratina,
Moraiolo and
Pendolino in order to create more flavor.
About the tree
The Leccino tree grows well in cooler climates,
but is not as tolerant to heat as Spanish olive cultivars. The tree grows quickly and has a dense canopy. It tends to be highly productive in the right conditions and has a tendency to grow more like a tree than a bush, which is different from most olive trees. Average oil yield is 18-21% of the fruit. It is not self-pollinating and requires the presence of another cultivar, commonly Pendolino, in order to fruit.
Synonyms
Allorino (Leccino Pendulo), Allorino (Leccino Piangente), Grappuda, Prevoce Leccino, Colombina, Leccino LD (Leccino compact), Leccino LD (Leccino dwarf), Leccino 04, Leccino 13, Canneto Leccino (Leccino CLONE ISTEA 30), Leccino Collececco 22, Leccino di Belmonte, Leccino Ecotipo 2, Leccino Moricone, Leccino Pesciatino, Leccio, Lechino, Lucca, Toscano, and Verolana.
History
While it is unclear when the cultivar first appeared, written references can be found near the end of the
Middle Ages
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...
, and the Leccino is generally one of the older cultivars from Italy.
Leccino has made its appearance in other countries over the past 50 years with the growing popularity of olive oil. It is commonly grown in California,
Chile and Australia among other olive oil growing regions.
References
{{Olives
Olive cultivars