Alexandre Bivort
PearAlexandre Bivort
Origin / History
Obtained in 1848 by Louis Berckmans and named after Alexandre Bivort, founder of the Society of Van Mons, in Belgium (Hedrick). Downing gives it as a seedling of Esperen, 1848. Figured in Mas, Le Verger 1:37, fig. 25 (1866-73), and in Leroy, Dict. Pom. 1:97 (1867).
Tree
Vigorous, of a bushy habit. Young wood reddish brown.
Fruit
Size: Small to medium (Hedrick); medium (Downing).
Form: Obtuse pyriform (Downing). Spherical, or turbinate inclining to pyriform (Hedrick).
Stem: Rather long.
Cavity: Small.
Calyx: Small, open. Segments slender, partly recurved.
Basin: Large, abrupt, corrugated.
Skin: Smooth, shining green changing to yellow (Hedrick); pale yellow, with a few patches and traces of russet (Downing).
Dots: Russet (Hedrick).
Flesh and flavor: Whitish to white; fine-grained (Hedrick) or a little coarse (Downing); half tender to tender; moderately juicy to full of juice. Sweet and pleasant; sugary, with perfume of almond. Downing rates it "Good"; Hedrick calls the quality variable.
Core and seeds: Not described in source.
Season
November to February. Downing gives December to February; Hedrick, November to January.
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes / Variants
Hedrick gives two types: spherical, and turbinate inclining to pyriform, respectively.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 2 period pomological works
View original book sources (2)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Alexandre Bivort. A seedling of Esperen in 1848. Tree vigorous, of a bushy habit. Young wood reddish brown. Fruit medium, obtuse pyriform. Skin pale yellow, with a few patches and traces of russet. Stalk rather long, set in a small cavity. Calyx small, open. Segments slender, partly recurved. Basin large, abrupt, corrugated. Flesh whitish, a little coarse, moderately juicy, half tender, sweet, and pleasant. Good. December to February.
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Alexandre Bivort. 1. Mas Le Verger 1:37, fig. 25. 1866-73. 2. Leroy Dict. Pom. 1:97, figs. 1867.
Obtained in 1848 by Louis Berckmans and named after Alexandre Bivort, founder of the Society of Van Mons, in Belgium. Fruit small to medium; the two types are spherical, or turbinate inclining to pyriform, respectively; skin smooth, shining green changing to yellow, dotted with russet; flesh white, fine-grained, tender, full of juice, sugary, with perfume of almond; variable in quality; Nov. to Jan.