Ambrosia
Pear
Origin / History
Switzer, writing in England in 1724, recorded that this variety was introduced from France "among that noble collection of fruit that was planted in the Royal Gardens in St. James's Park soon after the Restoration, but is now cut down." No French author, however, appears to mention it under this name. Jahn, in the "Handbuch," considers it synonymous with Diel's Braunrothe Pomeranzenbirne, which Metzger says is the same as Orange Rouge of the French authors, but according to the Herefordshire Pomona it is certainly not the same as this last fruit. The variety was formerly to be found in many old English gardens but, as Hedrick noted by 1921, seems to have dropped out of favor.
Tree
Hardy and vigorous in growth, and a good bearer. It succeeds well as a standard, either on the pear or quince stock (Herefordshire Pomona).
Fruit
Size: Medium.
Form: Roundish obovate. The Herefordshire Pomona adds "slightly flattened." Hedrick describes it as globular-obovate.
Skin: Smooth, greenish yellow, slightly russeted, and covered with small grey specks. The Herefordshire Pomona adds slight marks of russet beyond the general russeting.
Stem: An inch and a half long, slender, inserted in an open cavity (Herefordshire Pomona).
Cavity: Open (Herefordshire Pomona).
Calyx: Eye closed, set in a considerable depression (Herefordshire Pomona).
Basin: A considerable depression surrounding the closed eye (Herefordshire Pomona).
Flesh / Flavor: Sources disagree significantly on quality. The Herefordshire Pomona describes the flesh as "tender, buttery, melting, rich, sugary and perfumed" and calls it "a delicious summer dessert Pear of first-rate quality." Hedrick similarly describes it as "buttery and in England possessing a high flavor, melting, rich, sugary, perfumed" and rates it "first for dessert." In contrast, Downing describes the flesh as "buttery, without much flavor" and rates it "hardly good." Thomas likewise calls it "buttery, without much flavor." This England-versus-America discrepancy in flavor quality is notable and may reflect differing climatic suitability.
Core / Seeds: Not described in source.
Season
Ripens in September according to most sources. Elliott gives August. The Herefordshire Pomona notes it "keeps only a few days after being gathered." Hedrick similarly states it "does not keep long."
Uses
Dessert pear, rated first quality for that purpose by English sources (Herefordshire Pomona; Hedrick).
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 5 period pomological works
View original book sources (5)
— Woolhope Naturalists Field Club, The Herefordshire Pomona (1885)
- AMBROSIA.
[Syn.: Early Beurré; Summer Beurré.]
It is related by Switzer that this variety was introduced from France "among that noble collection of fruit that was planted in the Royal Gardens in St. James's Park soon after the Restoration, but is now (1724) cut down." Nevertheless there is no record of it in any French author under this name. Jahn, in the "Handbuch" considers it synonymous with Diel's Braunrothe Pomeranzenbirne, which, Metzger says, is the same as Orange Rouge of the French authors, but it is certainly not the same as this last fruit.
Description.—Fruit: medium sized; roundish obovate, and slightly flattened. Skin: smooth, greenish yellow, covered with small grey specks and slight marks of russet. Eye: closed, set in a considerable depression. Stalk: an inch and a half long, slender, inserted in an open cavity. Flesh: tender, buttery, melting, rich, sugary and perfumed.
A delicious summer dessert Pear of first-rate quality. It ripens in September, but keeps only a few days after being gathered.
The tree is hardy and vigorous in growth, and a good bearer. It succeeds well as a standard, either on the pear or quince stock.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Ambrosia. Early Beurre. A French Pear of medium size, roundish obovate. Skin greenish yellow, a little russeted. Flesh buttery, without much flavor. Hardly good. September.
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Ambrosia. 1. Jour. Hort. N. S. 14:326, fig. 1868. 2. Hogg Fruit Man. 177. 1884.
Switzer, writing in England in 1724, said that this variety was introduced to that country from France "among that noble collection of fruit that was planted in the Royal Gardens in St. James's Park soon after the Restoration, but is now cut down." No French author, however, appears to mention it under this name. It was formerly to be found in many old English gardens but now seems to have dropped out of favor. Fruit medium, globular-obovate, greenish-yellow, slightly russeted and covered with small, gray specks; flesh buttery and in England possessing a high flavor, melting, rich, sugary, perfumed; first for dessert; Sept. but does not keep long.
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Ambrosia. Early Beurre. Foreign. Medium, roundish obovate, greenish yellow, russeted. August.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Ambrosia. Medium, roundish, obovate; buttery, without much flavor. September. French.