Cayon (olive)
Encyclopedia
The Cayon is a cultivar
of olive
s grown primarily in the Var region of southern France
. It is used primarily for the production of olive oil
. The Cayon is highly valued for its role as a pollinator of other olive varieties.
, and in Algeria
. Among the names used locally for the Cayon, are Entrecastellen, Plant d'Etranger, Nasies, Montfortaise and Race De Montfort In Algeria it is known as Roulette de Sóumam.
and elliptic leaves
that are short and of medium width. The olives are of medium weight, ovoid shape and asymmetrical. The stone has a rounded apex and pointed base, with a smooth surface and the presence of a mucro. It is an early cultivar, and harvesting starts in early November. When fully mature, the colour of the fruit is black.
, and gives a medium yield (18–22%). Oil extraction is a relatively easy process in this cultivar. The taste of the oil is described as "fruity and balanced, finish with the softness of almond". The Cayon can also be mixed with the Grossane
for olive oil production.
There is some disagreement over the fertility of the Cayon, though most authorities agree that it is self-sterile, and depends on the presence of other pollinator
s. The Cayon is also highly valued for its use as a pollinator of other olive tree. Among the cultivars it helps pollinate are the Olivière
, and the Tanche
.
It does not show and particular vulnerability to the major pests, with the exception of the Bactrocera oleae
(Olive fruit fly). It is also relatively vulnerable to cold, but sustains drought quite well.
Cultivar
A cultivar'Cultivar has two meanings as explained under Formal definition. When used in reference to a taxon, the word does not apply to an individual plant but to all those plants sharing the unique characteristics that define the cultivar. is a plant or group of plants selected for desirable...
of olive
Olive
The olive , Olea europaea), is a species of a small tree in the family Oleaceae, native to the coastal areas of the eastern Mediterranean Basin as well as northern Iran at the south end of the Caspian Sea.Its fruit, also called the olive, is of major agricultural importance in the...
s grown primarily in the Var region of southern France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. It is used primarily for the production of olive oil
Olive oil
Olive oil is an oil obtained from the olive , a traditional tree crop of the Mediterranean Basin. It is commonly used in cooking, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and soaps and as a fuel for traditional oil lamps...
. The Cayon is highly valued for its role as a pollinator of other olive varieties.
Extent and synonyms
The Cayon is particularly common in the Var region, but is also grown in other parts of southern FranceFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, and in Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
. Among the names used locally for the Cayon, are Entrecastellen, Plant d'Etranger, Nasies, Montfortaise and Race De Montfort In Algeria it is known as Roulette de Sóumam.
Characteristics
It is a cultivar of good strength, with a spreading growth formPlant life-form
Plant life-form schemes constitute a way of classifying plants alternatively to the ordinary species-genus-family scientific classification. In colloquial speech, plants may be classified as trees, shrubs, herbs , etc...
and elliptic leaves
Leaf
A leaf is an organ of a vascular plant, as defined in botanical terms, and in particular in plant morphology. Foliage is a mass noun that refers to leaves as a feature of plants....
that are short and of medium width. The olives are of medium weight, ovoid shape and asymmetrical. The stone has a rounded apex and pointed base, with a smooth surface and the presence of a mucro. It is an early cultivar, and harvesting starts in early November. When fully mature, the colour of the fruit is black.
Processing
The Cayon is mainly used for extraction of oilOlive oil
Olive oil is an oil obtained from the olive , a traditional tree crop of the Mediterranean Basin. It is commonly used in cooking, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and soaps and as a fuel for traditional oil lamps...
, and gives a medium yield (18–22%). Oil extraction is a relatively easy process in this cultivar. The taste of the oil is described as "fruity and balanced, finish with the softness of almond". The Cayon can also be mixed with the Grossane
Grossane
The Grossane is a cultivar of olives grown primarily in the Vallée des Baux and Bouches-du-Rhône regions of southern France. Though it can be used to produce oil, it is primarily used as a black table olive...
for olive oil production.
Agronomy
It is considered a productive cultivar, with a tendency towards biennial bearing, i.e. that a good yield is followed by a weaker one the next year. Its rooting ability is medium-to-high.There is some disagreement over the fertility of the Cayon, though most authorities agree that it is self-sterile, and depends on the presence of other pollinator
Pollinator
A pollinator is the biotic agent that moves pollen from the male anthers of a flower to the female stigma of a flower to accomplish fertilization or syngamy of the female gamete in the ovule of the flower by the male gamete from the pollen grain...
s. The Cayon is also highly valued for its use as a pollinator of other olive tree. Among the cultivars it helps pollinate are the Olivière
Olivière
The Olivière is a cultivar of olives grown primarily in the Pyrénées-Orientales region of southern France, where it is the most prevalent variety of olives. It is highly valued for its exceptionally high tolerance to cold...
, and the Tanche
Tanche
The Tanche, probably the best known French olive cultivar, is grown primarily in the Drôme and Vaucluse regions of southern France. It is often referred to as a perle noire, the "Black Pearl of Provence"...
.
It does not show and particular vulnerability to the major pests, with the exception of the Bactrocera oleae
Olive fruit fly
The olive fruit fly is a species of fruit fly which belongs to the Dacinae subfamily MUNRO, 1984. It is a kind of phytophagous species, whose larvae feed on the fruit of olive trees, hence the common name...
(Olive fruit fly). It is also relatively vulnerable to cold, but sustains drought quite well.