Bergamotte d'Esperen
PearBergamotte d'Esperen
Origin / History
A seedling of Esperin, raised in 1830 (Downing). Bunyard records the origin as raised by Major Esperen at Malines about 1830. Of French/foreign origin (Elliott calls it "Foreign"; Thomas calls it "French").
Tree
Tree vigorous, productive (Downing). Young wood warm rich dark yellow brown, with small white specks (Downing). Growth vigorous, upright, spreading; fertility moderate; makes a largish tree (Bunyard). Leaf long oval, little upfolded, down hanging, regularly shallow serrate, turns pale yellow (Bunyard). Very productive in clusters (Elliott).
Fruit
Size: Medium (Elliott, Thomas, Bunyard, Veitch). Bunyard gives dimensions of 3 by 3.
Form: Sources describe the shape variously. Elliott: roundish. Downing: oblate, exceedingly depressed, sides often unequal. Thomas: flattened pyriform. Bunyard: round conical, tapering evenly to the eye, a little uneven.
Stem / Stalk: Downing describes the stalk as long and stout, thickened at its insertion in a small cavity, at an inclination. Bunyard describes the stem as short, stout, woody, almost on the surface. (Sources conflict on stem length: Downing — long; Bunyard — short.)
Cavity: Small, with the stalk inserted at an inclination (Downing).
Calyx / Eye: Calyx small, closed (Elliott: closed; Downing: small, closed; Bunyard: eye nearly closed).
Basin: Furrowed (Elliott); rather deep, slightly furrowed, surrounded by russet (Downing); slight, ribbed (Bunyard).
Skin: Dull green, with dots and patches of russet (Elliott). Greenish yellow, thick and rough, covered with russet dots and patches (Downing). Green, rough (Thomas). Dull green with dusky russet in patches, changing to pale yellow as it ripens (Bunyard); ready for use when it turns yellow in March.
Flesh / Flavor: Buttery, melting, juicy, sweet; rated "very good" (Elliott). Greenish yellow, juicy, buttery, sweet, and rich; rated "good" (Downing). Sweet, rich, juicy, spicy (Thomas). Yellowish, tender, melting and deliciously perfumed (Bunyard). Melting, juicy and richly flavoured (Veitch).
Core / Seeds: Not described in source.
Season
December to February (Elliott, Downing, Thomas). Dessert, keeping till March; ready for use when it turns yellow in March (Bunyard). Veitch gives the season as October and November ("good for late use Oct. & Nov."), which conflicts with the December–March ripening reported by the other sources.
Uses
Dessert pear (Bunyard). A valuable late variety, deserving a wall (Bunyard). Good for late use (Veitch).
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Bunyard cross-references Herefordshire Pomona II., 70.
Book Sources
Described in 4 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 — listed as Bergamotte Esperen
View original book sources (5)
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Bergamotte d'Esperin.
Foreign. Fruit, medium, roundish, dull green, with dots and patches of russet; calyx, closed; basin, furrowed; flesh, buttery, melting, juicy, sweet; "very good;" very productive in clusters. December to February.
[Additional entry in this volume: "Bergamotte d'Esperen", pp. 371–371]
Bergamotte d'Esperin.
Foreign. Fruit, medium, roundish, dull green, with dots and patches of russet; calyx, closed; basin, furrowed: flesh, buttery, melting, juicy, sweet; "very good;" very productive in clusters. December to February.
— 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.
— E.A. Bunyard, A Handbook of Hardy Fruits (1920)BERGAMOTTE D'ESPEREN. Her. Pom. II., 70. (Poire d'Esperen.) G. Esperen's Bergamotte. Dessert, till March, medium, 3 by 3, round conical tapering evenly to eye, a little uneven. Colour, dull green with dusky russet in patches, changing to pale yellow. Flesh, yellowish, tender, melting and deliciously perfumed. Eye, nearly closed in a slight, ribbed basin. Stem, short, stout, woody, almost on surface. Growth, vigorous, upright, spreading ; fertility moderate. Leaf, long oval, little upfolded, down hanging, regularly shallow serrate, turns pale yellow. Origin, raised by Major Esperen at Malines about 1830. A valuable late variety, deserving a wall. It is ready for use when it turns yellow in March. It makes a largish tree.
— James Veitch & Sons, Veitch's Fruit Trees (1911) (1911)Bergamotte Esperen, medium size, melting, juicy and richly flavoured, good for late use Oct. & Nov.