(Lucquoise or Olive of Lucques)

A variety which appears to come from the province of Lucques in Italy.
In France, the LUCQUES is mainly to be found in the departments of the Roussillon and the Hérault.
Its possibilities to spread seem to be limited.

It's an extremely rare variety which is only to be found in the Roussillon and the Hérault in France.

The fruit is handpicked from half august until half october for pickling (Green fruit). It arrives at full maturity between the end of october and the 20th of november (Black fruit) and it is then harvested for oil extraction with combs and nets.

This olive has a small crescent-shaped stone, clear crunchy flesh, with an incredibly soft flavour in which the taste of fresh almonds and avocados can be found. Gourmets consider it without the slightest doubt to be the best of all.






					

      

      

      

      

      

      




      

      

      


      

      
GREEN LUCQUES

      
BLACK LUCQUES

 FRUIT

VOLUME: Average to large. Average commercial caliber : 20 to 24 fruits/hecto.

SHAPE : Elongated, strongly incurved as a crescent. Sharp side. Shallow peduncular depression.

PEDUNCLE: Long, generally arched, of average thickness, with pronounced swellings.

SKIN: Fine, smooth, light green until the beginning of maturity, turning to a glossy black with little blooming.

FLESH : Abundant firm pulp, which easily detaches from the stone. Oil yielding : 17 %.

STONE: Slender, long, crescent shaped, slightly corduroy coated.

MATURITY: December. Picking (when still green) is done when the skin is a light green, at the end of octobre, beginning of november.

 TREE

ASPECT : Tree of a very strong stature

VIGOUR: Good.

SHAPE : Slender tree, bushy-topped or shaped in a vase or a parasol.

FOLIAGE : The leaves are dressed towards the light, dull green on the outside, greenish white on the inside. Fairly large petiole, very slim and frequently twisted

BLOSSOMING : At the end of may. The flowers are clustered in wide bunches..

FERTILITY: Relatively feeble and very irregularly.

 QUALITIES AND FAULTS

The LUCQUES trees are quite vigorous and not very sensitive to the cold, but in order to yield a remunerating crop they require good quality soils. Its principal drawback is the irregularity of its production.

Besides, the tree is quite sensitive to the cochineal and to fungoid growth.

The LUCQUES is grown of its own or grafted onto OLIVIERE, a very strong stock. Trimming should be perfectly adapted to the vigour of the tree. The LUCQUES olive is the most esteemed of all table olives. Is flesh is abundant, with a very fine grain and a remarkable flavour.

It generally costs 30% more than other olive varieties.

Its preparation requires a maximum of precautions, because of its sensitivity to soda.