Alexandre Lambre
PearAlexandre Lambre
Origin / History
Alexandre Lambre is a seedling raised by Van Mons. The tree did not bear fruit until 1844, two years after the death of the great pomologist, and was first fruited by Bivort. It was published in the Annales de Pomologie Belge 2:94, fig., in 1854, and described by Hogg in Fruit Manual 472 (1884), as well as figured in Bivort I., 31. Downing, Elliott, and Thomas list the variety as of foreign (Belgian/Van Mons) origin.
Tree
Vigorous (Downing); growth moderate, making a good standard, with excellent fertility (Bunyard). Habit spreading, with long, slender branches (Downing). Shoots slender, yellowish, spreading (Thomas). Leaf rather small, held nearly flat, finely serrate, turning dull brownish-red (Bunyard).
Fruit
Size
Medium; Bunyard gives dimensions of 2¾ by 3 inches.
Form
Sources describe the form variously: oblate, obtuse-pyriform (Downing, Hedrick); roundish, compressed at ends (Elliott); roundish-obovate (Thomas); short conical, even (Bunyard).
Stem / Stalk
Stout (Elliott); stout and not sunk (Thomas); generally long and woody (Bunyard).
Cavity
Russet at the base of the stem (Elliott); skin smooth with russet patches around the stem (Bunyard).
Calyx / Eye
Eye large, a little open (Bunyard). Russet around the calyx (Elliott).
Basin
Flat (Elliott); shallow (Thomas); shallow and rounded (Bunyard).
Skin
Bright yellowish-green, sprinkled with minute russety dots and slight markings of russet, brownish-red on the side next the sun (Hedrick); yellowish, netted and patched with russet, brown-red in sun (Downing); yellowish-green, mottled with red in sun, russet at base of stem and calyx (Elliott); yellowish-green marbled with red toward the sun (Thomas); smooth with russet patches around the stem and large dots, pale yellow-green with cinnamon russet (Bunyard).
Flesh / Flavor
Flesh white (Hedrick, Bunyard); yellowish pinkish white (Downing); greenish white (Elliott). Texture: a little soft, melting, juicy (Hedrick); juicy (Downing); melting, juicy (Elliott, Thomas); melting, not gritty (Bunyard). Flavor: sweet, a little astringent (Downing); sweet, acid, free from grit and possessing a delicate musk flavor (Hedrick); sweet (Elliott); sweet, rich, sometimes very good, frequently poor (Thomas). Rated good to very good (Downing).
Core / Seeds
Core small; seeds plump, acute-pointed (Elliott).
Season
October to December: Downing gives October–December; Hedrick gives November; Elliott and Thomas give November–December; Bunyard gives October–November.
Uses
Dessert (Bunyard). Described as a very valuable fruit (Bunyard).
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Bunyard notes that in appearance Alexandre Lambre is "as a larger and earlier Josephine de Malines."
Book Sources
Described in 5 period pomological works
- Bunyard, A Handbook of Hardy Fruits (1920)
- Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)
- Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)
- Downing, Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900) — listed as Alexandra Lambre
- Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921) — listed as Alexandra Lambre
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 5 catalogs (1900–1917) from England
- George Bunyard & Co. , Royal Nurseries, Maidstone, Kent , England — 1900
- Central Experimental Farm , Dominion Department of Agriculture, Agassiz, British Columbia (under test; Bulletin No. 3, Second Series) — 1900
- James Veitch & Sons , Ltd., Royal Exotic Nursery, Chelsea, London (also Coombe Wood, Langley, and Feltham) , England — 1911
- George Bunyard & Co. , Royal Nurseries, Maidstone, Kent , England — 1914
- George Bunyard & Co. , Royal Nurseries, Maidstone, Kent , England — 1917
View original book sources (5)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Alexandra Lambre.
One of Van Mons' seedlings. Tree vigorous, spreading. Branches long, slender.
Fruit medium, oblate obtuse pyriform, yellowish, netted and patched with russet, brown red in sun. Flesh yellowish pinkish white, juicy, sweet, a little astringent. Good to very good. October, December.
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Alexandra Lambre. 1. Ann. Pom. Belge 2:94, fig. 1854. 2. Hogg Fruit Man. 472. 1884.
A seedling of Van Mons which did not fruit until 1844, two years after the death of the great pomologist. Fruit medium, oblate, obtuse-pyriform, bright yellowish-green, sprinkled with minute russety dots and slight markings of russet, brownish-red on the side next the sun; flesh white, a little soft, melting, juicy, sweet, acid, free from grit and possessing a delicate, musk flavor; Nov.
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Alexandre Lambre.
Foreign. Fruit, medium, roundish, compressed at ends, yellowish green, mottled with red in sun, russet at base of stem and calyx; stem, stout; calyx, in a flat basin; flesh, greenish white, melting, juicy, sweet; core, small; seeds, plump, acute pointed. November, December.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Alexandre Lambre. Size medium, roundish-obovate; yellowish-green marbled with red toward the sun; stalk stout, not sunk; basin shallow; flesh juicy, melting, sweet, rich, sometimes very good, frequently poor. November, December. Shoots slender, yellowish, spreading.
— E.A. Bunyard, A Handbook of Hardy Fruits (1920)ALEXANDRE LAMBRE. Bivort I., 31. Dessert, October to November, medium, 2¾ by 3, short conical, even. Skin, smooth with russet patches around stem and large dots. Colour, pale yellow-green with cinnamon russet. Flesh, white, melting, not gritty. Eye, large, a little open in a shallow rounded basin. Stem, generally long and woody. Growth, moderate, makes a good standard; fertility, excellent. Leaf, rather small, held nearly flat, finely serrate, turns dull brownish-red. Origin, raised by Van Mons, and fruited by Bivort, in 1844. This is a very valuable fruit and is in appearance as a larger and earlier Josephine de Malines.