Achan

Pear

Achan

Origin/History

An old dessert pear of northern provenance. Bunyard (1920) considers the origin "probably Scotch," noting that there are places of the name Achan in Sutherlandshire. Hedrick (1921) describes it as "this well-known Scotch dessert pear" but assigns probable Norwegian origin — a conflict between the two sources. Both agree it is suited only to a northern climate; Bunyard notes it is "seldom seen south of the Tweed, but valued in its own country." Bunyard cites alternate names Black Achan and Red Achan, suggesting recognized variant strains.

Tree

Growth vigorous; fertility regular. (Bunyard.) Not further described in sources.

Fruit

Size: Below medium (Hedrick); small (Bunyard).

Form: Turbinate, but often obovate when grown to a large size (Hedrick). Round conical, even (Bunyard). The two sources diverge on form — Hedrick's turbinate/obovate characterization and Bunyard's round conical may reflect different growing conditions or strains, or the variation Hedrick explicitly notes with larger fruit.

Stem: Half an inch, moderately stout. (Bunyard.)

Cavity: Not described in source.

Calyx/Eye: Open, nearly on surface. (Bunyard.)

Basin: Not described in source.

Skin: Greenish-yellow on the shaded side, strewed with gray-russet patches and dots; on the exposed cheek, dull ferruginous red. (Hedrick.) Fairly smooth with a little russet; color pale yellow-green with a brown-red flush. (Bunyard.) The sources are consistent in describing a pale yellow-green ground color with russet and a reddish flush on the sun-exposed cheek, though Hedrick's "dull, ferruginous red" is somewhat deeper in tone than Bunyard's "brown red flush."

Flesh: Tender, buttery, sugary, juicy, with a rich, aromatic flavor. (Hedrick.) Pale yellow, juicy and sweet. (Bunyard.)

Core/Seeds: Not described in source.

Season

October to November, extending till December in Scotland (Bunyard). November and December (Hedrick).

Uses

Dessert.

Subtypes/Variants

Known under the names Black Achan and Red Achan (Bunyard), suggesting recognized color variants or strains, though no further description of the differences between them is given in the sources.

Other

Not described in source.

Book Sources

Described in 2 period pomological works

View original book sources (2)

Achan. 1. Mag. Hort. 9:130. 1843. 2. Hogg Fruit Man. 467. 1884.

This well-known Scotch dessert pear is probably of Norwegian origin. It is suitable only to a northern climate. Fruit below medium, turbinate but often obovate when grown to a large size, greenish-yellow on the shaded side, strewed with gray-russet patches and dots; on the exposed cheek it is of a dull, ferruginous red; flesh tender, buttery, sugary, juicy, with a rich, aromatic flavor; Nov. and Dec.

— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)

ACHAN. (Black Achan, Red Achan.) Dessert, October to November (till December in Scotland), small, round conical, even. Skin, fairly smooth with a little russet. Colour, pale yellow-green with brown red flush. Flesh, pale yellow, juicy and sweet. Eye, open, nearly on surface. Stem, ½ inch, moderately stout. Growth, vigorous; fertility, regular. Origin, probably Scotch; there are places of this name in Sutherlandshire. An old variety, seldom seen south of the Tweed, but valued in its own country.

— E.A. Bunyard, A Handbook of Hardy Fruits (1920)

Black Achan Black Auchan Black Bess of Castle Menzies Grey Auchan Red Acham Red Achan Winter Achan