(Plant de Collias, Coïasse, Colliasse, Couillasse, Fausse Lucques)

Probably originating of Collias (Gard). Also called FAUSSE LUCQUES (False Lucques) because of the shape of its fruit which somewhat resembles the Lucques. Almost always prepared "à la PICHOLINE" and being commercialized in this way, it has taken the name of this kind of preparation. It is the main french green olive variety and it is largely to be found in the department of the Gard where it has known a very wide expansion to the detriment of oil producing varieties which it has replaced through grafting. The PICHOLINE easily adapts itself, a quality which permits to consider its expansion all over the South of France and most of the olive producing countries.

 

FRUIT

 

SIZE : Medium to large. Average commercial calibre 24/30 fruits/hecto.

SHAPE : Egg-shaped, elongated, clearly more convex on one end than on the other. Profound peduncular depression. Top shaped in a blunt point.

PEDUNCLE : Medium to long, large, curved.

SKIN : Smooth, pure green until the beginning of maturity; takes then a light wine-coloured tinge, followed later on by a deep purple, almost black or a reddish black.

FLESH : Abundant pulp, whitish when the fruit is green, moderately rich with oil (17 % in the works).

STONE : Long, thin, spindle-shaped, slightly asymmetrical and a bit curved. Thin endocarp, enclosing a long and narrow almond.

MATURITY : December, januari (harvested green in october, november).

 

TREE

 

SPREAD : not very spread.

VIGOUR : Average.

HABIT : Relatively spread.

SHAPE : The tree is shaped as an enlargened dome or sometimes beaker-shaped.

FOLIAGE : The leaves are dressed, large, thick, without stiffness, silvery green on the underside, often yellowing, with a prominent vein on the underside.

BLOSSOMING : In may / june. The flowers are clustered in thick bunches.

FERTILITY : Quite fertile with a minimum of attention. Each tree can regularly yield an average of 20 kilos of olives on a mediocre soil.

 

 QUALITIES AND FAULTS

Sturdy and resistant variety. It has a particular liking for clay-limestone soils, but it adapts itself to all kinds of soils. The tree needs to be trimmed every year. It can be grafted without difficulties onto every variety. However, the stock which produced the best results is the Saurin or Sauzen. Its fruit is perfectly fit for pickling. Its stone is small, its flesh subtle, firm and tasty. It has a long preservation in pickling brine and keeps its green colour from one harvest to another.