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coratina

Origin: Italy
Purpose: Oil
Cold tolerance: High
Self sterile
Productivity: High
Start of bearing: Early
Ripening: Late
Oil content: High
 

Growth: Coratina is a tree of medium vigor and a dense, spreading growth habit. It accounts for the majority of oil olive acreage in Puglia, its area of origin, which is the largest olive producing region in Italy. It is very adaptable and tolerant of cold and moderately tolerant of drought and salinity. In Puglia, a variety called Cellina di Nardo is used as a pollinizer. In California, it is most often planted with assorted Italian varieties which serve as pollinizers.

Pests: This variety is moderately susceptible to olive knot and verticillium. Its sensitivity to foliar disease appears to be moderate. It is considered susceptible to scale insects, sooty mold and olive fly.

Oil: Coratina’s popularity is well founded. It gives a high yield of good quality oil which is easily extracted. The oil is exceptionally high in polyphenols, resulting in excellent stability. The high polyphenols also account for very high bitterness when it is harvested green. Traditionally, Italian Coratina is harvested when quite ripe, resulting in a very fruity oil with floral and cherry notes and moderate bitterness and pungency. California Coratina harvested at the same time as the Tuscan varieties, will produce an aggressively bitter oil. Because of the potential for high bitterness, some producers prefer to grind this variety on a stone mill. The high polyphenol nature of Coratina can make it a valuable addition to a blend when improved stability is desired.

Harvest: Coratina is a good choice only for growers who can expect a long growing season. It needs time and heat to ripen if it is to produce the best oil. Cool, coastal locations and sites that are prone to early frost are probably not well-suited to this variety.

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