Ambrette
Pear
Origin/History
A French dessert pear of ancient but uncertain origin. It was mentioned by M. Le Lectier of Orleans in 1628 in his catalog, and was shown by him to have been cultivated under the name of Trompe-Coquin. It has also been thought to be the pear Myrapia mentioned by Pliny, and to have been so named because of the myrrh-like perfume. The name Ambrette was given to the variety on account of its musk-like flavor, resembling the scent of the flower which in France is called Ambrette. Coxe notes it was known in his vicinity by the name of the Tilton pear. Elliott classifies the variety as of foreign origin. This pear resembles L'Echasserie in many of its properties, but according to Coxe differs from it in having an unindented leaf; Elliott notes that "this is classed by some as identical with Echassery; we think them different."
Tree
A very old pear tree, very hardy and productive (Downing). Coxe describes it as thorny, and it merits extensive cultivation as "a fruit of uncommon excellence."
Fruit
Size: Below medium to small. Coxe describes it as "rather a small pear"; Downing as "medium to small"; Hedrick as "below medium"; Elliott as "small."
Form: Roundish oval (Downing), globular-oval tapering toward the stalk (Hedrick), oblong (Coxe), roundish (Elliott). The stalk end and crown end are not indented (Coxe: "neither the crown nor stalk end is indented").
Stem: Long (Coxe, Elliott).
Cavity: Not indented at the stalk end (Coxe).
Calyx/Basin: Not indented at the crown end (Coxe).
Skin: Yellowish green (Downing) to yellowish-olive (Hedrick), green when ripe (Coxe, Elliott). Skin rough with small russet spots and some black clouds (Coxe); russet spots and black blotches (Downing); russeted (Elliott).
Flesh/Flavor: Rich, juicy, and highly flavored (Coxe). Whitish, a little coarse, melting, sweet; rated "Good" by Downing. Yellowish or greenish-white (Hedrick); formerly held in high esteem but by Hedrick's time ranking only as second-rate. The musk-like flavor resembles the scent of the ambrette flower, and the fruit was also compared to myrrh-like perfume (Hedrick).
Core/Seeds: Not described in source.
Season
Ripens in the beginning of December and in favorable seasons will keep till March (Coxe). December to March (Downing). November to January (Hedrick, Elliott).
Uses
A dessert pear (Hedrick). Coxe considers it a fruit of uncommon excellence meriting extensive cultivation.
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Coxe notes that the Ambrette differs from L'Echasserie in having an unindented leaf, a distinguishing botanical feature. Hedrick cites Langley's Pomona (1729), Duhamel's Traité des Arbres Fruitiers (1768, Pl. XXXI), and Leroy's Dictionnaire de Pomologie (1867) as key references, with illustrations in the first two.
Book Sources
Described in 4 period pomological works
View original book sources (4)
— William Coxe, A View of the Cultivation of Fruit Trees (1817)
- AMBRETTE.
This is rather a small pear, of an oblong form. with a long stem—the colour when ripe is green, the skin rough with small russet spots and some black clouds; neither the crown nor stalk end is indented—the flesh is rich, juicy and highly flavoured; it ripens in the beginning of December, and in favourable seasons will keep till March. This pear resembles L' Echasserie in many of its properties, but differs from it in having an unindented leaf—it is a fruit of uncommon excellence, and merits extensive cultivation: it is known in this vicinity by the name of the Tilton pear.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Ambrette
Ambrette d'Hiver. Trompe-valet. Thorny Ambrette. Ambre Gris. Ambret. Ambrette avec epinea. Ambrette Gris. Winter Ambret. Ambrette Opineuse. Belle Gabrielle. Cheat Servant. De Chine. Tilton.
A very old Pear-tree, very hardy and productive.
Fruit medium to small, roundish oval, yellowish green, with russet spots and black blotches. Flesh whitish, a little coarse, melting, sweet. Good. December to March.
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Ambrette. 1. Langley Pomona 131, fig. IV. 1729. 2. Duhamel Trait. Arb. Fr. 2:186, Pl. XXXI. 1768. Ambrette d'Hiver. 3. Leroy Dict. Pom. 1:112, fig. 1867.
A French dessert pear of ancient but uncertain origin. It was mentioned by M. Le Lectier of Orleans in 1628 in his catalog, and was shown by him to have been cultivated under the name of Trompe-Coquin. It has also been thought to be the pear Myrapia mentioned by Pliny, and to have been so named because of the myrrh-like perfume. The name Ambrette was given to the variety on account of its musk-like flavor, resembling the scent of the flower which in France is called Ambrette. Fruit below medium, globular-oval, tapering toward stalk, yellowish-olive; flesh yellowish or greenish-white; formerly held in high esteem but now ranking only as second-rate; Nov. to Jan.
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)AMBRETTE.
Tilton, | Ambrette d'Hiver, | Trompe Valet. Ambre Gris, | Belle Gabriel,
Foreign. Small, roundish, long stem, green, russeted. November, January. This is classed by some as identical with Echassery; we think them different.