Kiraz olive: characteristics, oil content and growing areas
Akhisar's early table variety. Low in oil, but early maturity makes it the season's first olive to market.
Kiraz ("cherry") takes its name from the shape of its fruit and belongs to Akhisar. Its distinguishing trait is earliness: green maturity begins in late August, while most varieties on the list wait for October.
Kiraz in numbers
| Oil content | 19% |
| Fruits per kilo | 240 |
| Flesh ratio | 86% |
| Use | Table |
| Main areas | Akhisar |
Source: Efe, Soykan, Cürebal and Sönmez (2016), Zeytin Kitabı. Fields the source leaves blank are shown as "—"; nothing has been estimated.
When does it flower and ripen?
| Flowering | 20 May – 9 June |
| Fruit set | 25 May – 14 June |
Source: Olive Integrated Pest Management Technical Instruction, TAGEM. Dates shift with region and year; flowering is later at higher altitude.
Where does it sit among the 17?
| Oil content | 14. of 17 |
| Fruit size (largest first) | 6. of 14 |
| Flesh ratio | 6. of 14 |
Ranking is computed from the measured values in the same source; varieties the source leaves blank are excluded from that column.
In short
Kiraz is an early table variety; its 19% oil is low on the list, but flesh ratio is 86%. Earliness is a commercial advantage: the season's first olives meet the least competition.
Earliness is also risk management — the harvest skips part of the olive fruit fly's peak. For the fly's calendar, see olive fruit fly control.
One rating per visitor; you can change yours at any time. Ratings are real reader votes — no seeded or default scores.
Related
Article
Olive Leaf and Olive Leaf Tea
The leaves left over from pruning need not be thrown away. What olive leaf contains, how the tea is made, and the limits worth respecting.
Article
Kilis Yağlık olive: characteristics, oil content and growing areas
One of Türkiye's highest oil-yielding varieties at 31%. Small-fruited and purely for oil — 560 fruits per kilo.
Article
Saurani olive: characteristics, oil content and growing areas
Hatay's dual-purpose variety: 29% oil with 87% flesh — one of the most balanced combinations on the list.
Article
Olive and Olive Oil Glossary
Oleuropein, lampante, pomace, malaxation, designation of origin… Short, verifiable definitions of olive and olive oil terms.