Beurré Boisbunel
PearBeurré Boisbunel
Origin and History
Raised at Rouen, France, from a bed of mixed seeds in 1835 by L. M. Boisbunel; first fruited in 1846 (Hedrick). Documented in Leroy, Dict. Pom. 1:318 (1867) and Hogg, Fruit Manual, 514 (1884).
Tree
Moderately vigorous and productive. Young wood dull yellowish brown.
Fruit
Size and Form: Medium. Downing describes the shape as obovate pyriform; Hedrick as turbinate-obtuse or obovate.
Stem: Long, slender, curved, set in a small cavity, sometimes inserted by a lip.
Calyx: Small, open.
Skin: Greenish yellow with traces of russet, and thickly sprinkled with russet dots (Downing). Hedrick similarly notes greenish-yellow with some russet.
Flesh and Flavor: The two sources diverge here. Downing describes the flesh as whitish, rather coarse, juicy, melting, sweet, and slightly perfumed, rating the variety Good. Hedrick describes the flesh as yellowish, tender, melting, and gritty, with plentiful juice that is sweet with little perfume, refreshing but generally rather harsh, rating it second quality and often third.
Season
September.
Note on quality conflict: Downing's "Good" corresponds to approximately second quality in period ratings, which is not far from Hedrick's "second and often third" — the more pointed divergence is on harshness (Downing does not mention it) and flesh color (whitish vs. yellowish).
Book Sources
Described in 2 period pomological works
View original book sources (2)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Beurre Boisbunel.
Originated with L. M. Boisbunel, at Rouen, France, in 1835. Tree moderately vigorous and productive. Young wood dull yellowish brown.
Fruit medium, obovate pyriform. Skin greenish yellow, with traces of russet, and thickly sprinkled with russet dots. Stalk long, slender, curved, set in a small cavity, sometimes by a lip. Calyx small, open. Flesh whitish, rather coarse, juicy, melting, sweet, slightly perfumed. Good. September.
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Beurré Boisbunel.
- Leroy Dict. Pom. 1:318, fig. 1867. 2. Hogg Fruit Man. 514. 1884.
Raised at Rouen, Fr., from a bed of mixed seeds in 1835 by L. M. Boisbunel; first fruited in 1846. Fruit medium, turbinate-obtuse or obovate, greenish-yellow, some russet; flesh yellowish, tender, melting, and gritty; juice plentiful, sweet, little perfume, refreshing but generally rather harsh; second and often third; Sept.