Our olive trees, a triumph of natural beauty

In the month of May our olive trees are covered with small diaphanous gems in a triumph of natural beauty. From the branches covered with small green balls, called "mignole", the delicate flowers open which then become olives. Only a few of these flowers will turn into fruit and our Extra Virgin Olive Oil, the conventional, the organic and the PGI will be born.

In these days you can see on the plant the slow growth of the buds and subsequently the birth of the flowers. The flowers of the olive tree are not single but grouped in an inflorescence similar to a small cluster, the so-called mignola. This phase, which is called the mignolatura, culminates in the middle of spring, with the achievement of the final size. The flowers still remain closed, but they are well evident, fully formed.

In reality, the percentage of flowers that will complete fruiting is small, generally less than 2%. During mignolatura, the olive tree must not lack water in the soil, but heavy rains can be harmful because they hinder pollination, not letting the pollen fly or breaking it due to strong hydration.

A popular saying goes that: if the olive tree mignola in April you will get a barrel, if mignola di May a staggio, if mignola di June a fist.