The varieties of table olives are categorized from their productivity, their reaction to weather, their endurance to diseases, their endurance of the multiplication of the tree by grafting, the quality of the fruit, the proportion of the flesh-pit and the size of the fruit.
The varieties with the biggest fruit are the ones with the higher trading value. The bigger olives are not the tastier ones. The medium olives are the tastier and especially when their flesh is bigger then their pit.
Kalamata (Olea europaea var. ceraticarpa), is a variety that is cultivated in Messinia, Laconia and Ahaia. It is known as Kalamata, Hodrolia and Aetonihi. It is a fairly big olive tree, demands a lot of water and grows in places with high humidity. The leaves are bigger than all the other varieties in Greece and the olive fruit is big and black, about 6 grams. The Kalamata variety is the one of the best table olives.
Karydolia (Olea europaea var. maxima), is cultivated in Attica, Amfissa, Lamia, Corfu and Halkidiki. It is known as Kolybada and Karydorahati. It is a medium tree with a big fruit. This variety is perfect for a table olive, green and black.
Adrocarpi (Olea europaea var. mayor or prunera). It is cultivated all over Greece. It is also called Koromilolia, Damaskinati and Yidourolia. The olive fruit is very big and looks like a prune. Its content in oil is 27%. The olive fruit is used as table olive and it is not of the best quality.
Vassilicada (Olea europaea var. regalis). It is cultivated in Corfu, Halkidiki and in Rovies of Evia. It is called Vassiliki and Roviatiki. It is a medium size olive tree that reaches 8 meters high and it is resistant to cold and cancer. The olive fruit is big and its content in oil is low, about 16%. It is suitable for green or black table olive.
Karolia (Olea europaea var. oblonga). It is cultivated in Corfu, Mytilini and Zakynthos. The olive fruit is big and its content in oil is about 17%. It is suitable for table olive, green or black.
Strogylolia (Olea europaea var. rubrotunda). It is cultivated in Halkidiki and is very tolerant to cold and droughtness. The olive fruit is big and used for table olive, with limited interest.
Konservolia (Olea europaea var. rotunda). It is cultivated in Evia, Arta, Agrinio, Lamia and many other places in Greece. It demands a lot of care and it is a big tree, about 10 meters tall. The olive fruit is one of the biggest in the Greek olive varieties. Its weight can reach 8 grams and its oil content is low, about 15%. This variety is good for table olive, green or black.
Kolybada (Olea europaea var. uberina). It is cultivated in Attica, Evia, Messinia, Cyclades and is known as Karydolia, Strouboulolia and Kolybati. It is an unimportant variety.