Autumn Colmar
PearOrigin/History
According to Hedrick, this is a seedling of Van Mons, described in 1830 in the London Horticultural Society's Garden as a new Flemish pear. It was received there from Van Mons without a name and so became known in the collection as Autumn Colmar from a fancied resemblance of its flavor to that of the old Colmar. Downing calls it "a French Pear," while Elliott describes it simply as "Foreign." Hedrick cites references in Lindley (1831), Hogg (1884), Mas (1866–73), and Leroy (1867).
Thomas notes two distinct pears circulating under the name Autumn Colmar — one conic, coarse, and astringent, ripening in September; the other medium, pyriform, green, rich, and agreeable, ripening in October. The descriptions from the other sources split along these same lines: Hedrick's description aligns with Thomas's first (coarse, astringent, September–October), while Downing's aligns with Thomas's second (rich, agreeable, October). Downing describes it as "a good bearer."
Tree
Not described in source.
Fruit
Size: Medium (Downing, Elliott, and Thomas's second variety). Hedrick describes it as large.
Form: Oblong or obtuse pyriform, a little uneven (Downing). Obtuse-pyriform, rounded at the base (Hedrick). Oblong pyriform (Elliott). Thomas describes the first variety as conic and the second as pyriform.
Stem: About an inch long, straight, planted in a small, uneven cavity (Downing).
Cavity: Small and uneven (Downing). Not described by other sources.
Calyx: Small, closed, set in a slight basin, a little furrowed (Downing).
Basin: Slight, a little furrowed (Downing). Not described by other sources.
Skin: Pale green, dotted with numerous russety specks (Downing). Lemon-yellow, strewed with dots and patches of russet (Hedrick). Pale green (Elliott). Thomas describes the first variety as greenish-yellow and the second as green.
Flesh/Flavor: A little gritty at the core, buttery, with a rich and agreeable flavor; rated Good (Downing). Coarse, sweet, juicy, astringent, rather gritty at the core; rated second quality (Hedrick). Thomas's first variety: coarse, juicy, astringent, and prone to rotting. Thomas's second variety: rich, agreeable.
Core/Seeds: Not described in source beyond the grittiness at the core noted by Downing and Hedrick.
Season
October (Downing, Elliott). September and October (Hedrick). Thomas gives September for the first variety and October for the second.
Uses
Not described in source. Thomas notes that his first variety "rots," suggesting poor keeping quality for that form.
Subtypes/Variants
Thomas explicitly distinguishes two pears under this name: (1) "Conic, greenish-yellow; coarse; juicy, astringent; rots. September." (2) "Medium, pyriform, green; rich, agreeable. October." The pattern of agreement across sources suggests these represent two genuinely distinct varieties rather than variation within one. Downing, Elliott, and Thomas's second variety describe a medium, green, rich-flavored October pear; Hedrick and Thomas's first variety describe a larger, yellow-skinned, coarse, astringent pear ripening earlier.
Other
Thomas gives the alternate name "Colmar d'Été."
Book Sources
Described in 4 period pomological works
View original book sources (4)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Autumn Colmar.
A French Pear, of fair quality and a good bearer.
Fruit of medium size, oblong or obtuse pyriform, a little uneven. Skin pale green, dotted with numerous russety specks. Stalk about an inch long, straight, planted in a small, uneven cavity. Calyx small, closed, set in a slight basin, a little furrowed. Flesh a little gritty at the core, buttery, with a rich and agreeable flavor. Good. October.
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Autumn Colmar.
- Lindley Guide Orch. Card. 363. 1831. 2. Hogg Fruit Man. 487. 1884. De Bavay. 3. Mas Le Verger 3: Pt. i, 175, fig. 86. 1866-73. 4. Leroy Dict. Pom. 1:184, fig. 1867.
This seedling of Van Mons was described in 1830 in the London Horticultural Society's Garden as a new Flemish pear. It was received there from Van Mons without a name and so became known in the collection as Autumn Colmar from a fancied resemblance of its flavor to that of the old Colmar. Fruit large, obtuse-pyriform, rounded at the base, lemon-yellow, strewed with dots and patches of russet; flesh coarse, sweet, juicy, astringent, rather gritty at the core; second; Sept. and Oct.
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Autumn Colmar.
Foreign. Medium, oblong pyriform, pale green. October.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Autumn Colmar, or Colmar d'Été. Conic, greenish-yellow; coarse; juicy, astringent; rots. September. [Another Autumn Colmar is medium, pyriform, green; rich, agreeable. October.]