Bergamotte d'Esperen
PearBergamotte d'Esperen
Origin/History
A seedling raised by Esperin in 1830. (Thomas describes the variety as French; Downing's account implies Belgian origin through the Esperin connection.)
Tree
Vigorous and productive. Young wood warm rich dark yellow brown, with small white specks.
Fruit
Size and Form: Medium. Downing describes the form as oblate and exceedingly depressed, with sides often unequal. Thomas describes it as flattened pyriform. (The two accounts agree on the strongly flattened character but differ on whether the form is purely oblate or has a pyriform quality.)
Stem: Long and stout, thickened at its insertion in the cavity, set at an inclination.
Cavity: Small.
Calyx: Small, closed.
Basin: Rather deep, slightly furrowed, surrounded by russet.
Skin: Greenish yellow (Downing); green (Thomas). Thick and rough, covered with russet dots and patches.
Flesh and Flavor: Flesh greenish yellow, juicy, buttery, sweet, and rich (Downing). Thomas adds spicy to the flavor profile. Rated Good.
Core/Seeds: Not described in source.
Season
December to February.
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 2 period pomological works
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 1 catalog (1911) from England
- James Veitch & Sons , Ltd., Royal Exotic Nursery, Chelsea, London (also Coombe Wood, Langley, and Feltham) , England — 1911
View original book sources (2)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Bergamotte d'Esperen.
A seedling of Esperin, in 1830. Tree vigorous, productive. Young wood warm rich dark yellow brown, with small white specks.
Fruit medium, oblate, exceedingly depressed, sides often unequal. Skin greenish yellow, thick and rough, covered with russet dots and patches. Stalk long and stout, thickened at its insertion in a small cavity, at an inclination. Calyx small, closed in a rather deep slightly furrowed basin, surrounded by russet. Flesh greenish yellow, juicy, buttery, sweet, and rich. Good. December to February.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Bergamotte d'Esperen. Medium, flattened pyriform, green, rough; sweet, rich, juicy, spicy. December to February. French.