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Beurré Burnicq

Pear

Beurré Burnicq

Origin/History

Raised from a seed bed of Major Espéren, Mechlin, Belgium, and first published in 1846. Hedrick cites Mas, Le Verger, 5:Pt. 1, 101, fig. 49 (1866–73) as an early reference.

Tree

Vigorous, spreading, irregular, and productive. Young wood reddish brown. (Downing.)

Not described in source. (Hedrick.)

Fruit

Size: Downing describes the fruit as medium; Hedrick describes it as above medium.

Form: Downing describes the shape as globular acute pyriform; Hedrick describes it as obovate-obtuse-pyriform.

Stem: Medium length, fleshy at insertion. (Downing.) Not described in source. (Hedrick.)

Cavity: Not described in source.

Calyx: Generally open. (Downing.) Not described in source. (Hedrick.)

Basin: Small, uneven. (Downing.) Not described in source. (Hedrick.)

Skin: Downing describes the skin as yellowish, partially netted and patched with russet, and sprinkled with russet dots. Hedrick describes the skin as rough from a thick covering of russet, strewed with gray specks but showing some of the yellow of the ground color, often of a rather somber red color on the sunny side.

Flesh/Flavor: Both sources agree the flesh is melting and juicy. Downing describes the flesh as whitish, and the flavor as vinous and slightly astringent, rating quality as Good. Hedrick describes the flesh as slightly greenish, very fine, sugary, and perfumed, rating quality in France as first.

Core/Seeds: Not described in source.

Season

Downing gives October. Hedrick gives end of September.

Uses

Not described in source.

Subtypes/Variants

Not described in source.

Other

Not described in source.

Book Sources

Described in 2 period pomological works

View original book sources (2)

Beurré Burnicq.

Originated and first fruited with Major Esperen, in 1846. Tree vigorous, spreading, irregular, productive. Young wood reddish brown.

Fruit medium, globular acute pyriform. Skin yellowish, partially netted and patched with russet, and sprinkled with russet dots. Stalk medium, fleshy at insertion. Calyx generally open. Basin small, uneven. Flesh whitish, juicy, melting, vinous, slightly astringent. Good. October.

A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)

Beurré Burnicq.

  1. Mas Le Verger. 5:Pt. 1, 101, fig. 49. 1866-73.

From a seed bed of Major Espéren, Mechlin, Bel., first published in 1846. Fruit above medium, obovate-obtuse-pyriform; skin rough from a thick covering of russet, strewed with gray specks but showing some of the yellow of the ground color, often of a rather somber red color on the sunny side; flesh slightly greenish, very fine, melting, sugary, juicy, perfumed; quality in France first; end of Sept.

U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)
Burnicq's Butterbirne Burnicq’s Butterbirne