Bergamotte Cadette

Origin/History

Of French origin. The variety appears under several historical names in pomological literature, including Beurre Beauchamps, Beauchamps, Bergamotte Buffe, Ognonet, Poire de Cadet, and Bergamotte Crapaud.

Tree

Shoots are greenish, slender, erect, and diverging. Leaves are small. Wood is described as light olive brown. Productive on both Pear and Quince rootstocks. Bears productively.

Fruit

Size and Form

Hardly medium to medium in size. Shape is roundish obovate, round-obovate, or round-oval.

Stem

Long and stout (Elliott). Thomas gives the length as an inch and a fourth, describing it as scarcely sunk on the rounded base.

Cavity

Not described in source.

Calyx

Small and closed (Elliott); erect or closed (Thomas).

Basin

Very shallow (Thomas).

Skin

Pale green (Elliott); greenish-yellow, often russeted (Thomas). Both sources agree the fruit is frequently tinged with red or reddish-brown on the sun-exposed side, though Elliott notes this red coloring appears only rarely, while Thomas describes it as frequent.

Flesh and Flavor

Buttery and juicy (Elliott); melting, buttery, juicy, sweet, quite rich, and slightly perfumed (Thomas). Both sources agree on the buttery, juicy character. Elliott notes the fruit requires care in ripening.

Core and Seeds

Not described in source.

Season

October to December (Elliott). Late autumn (Thomas).

Uses

Elliott notes the fruit requires care in ripening. Productive on Pear or Quince rootstock (Elliott).

Subtypes/Variants

Not described in source.

Other

Thomas references an illustration at Figure 675 in The American Fruit Culturist (1903 edition).