Beurré Citron
PearBeurré Citron
Origin / History
From Belgium; a seedling from Van Mons' seed bed. Downing notes that Leroy considered General Lamoricière identical with Beurré Citron, but as received by Downing they were quite distinct.
Tree
Downing (first form): Vigorous. Young wood reddish brown.
Downing (second form received under this name): Wood yellowish brown. Downing notes explicitly that this is "another and quite different pear" received under the same name — the two forms are treated as distinct below throughout.
Fruit
Size and Form
Downing (first form): Medium or below; obovate oblate.
Downing (second form): Medium or below; irregular — sometimes obovate obtuse pyriform, and again ovate acute pyriform.
Hedrick: Small or medium; ovate, somewhat globular.
Stem
Downing (first form): Stalk long, a little curved, set in a small cavity, sometimes with a slight lip.
Downing (second form): Stalk medium, fleshy at insertion.
Hedrick: Not described in source.
Cavity
Downing (first form): Small cavity at stalk insertion.
Downing (second form): Not described in source.
Hedrick: Not described in source.
Calyx
Downing (both forms): Open.
Hedrick: Not described in source.
Basin
Not described in source.
Skin
Downing (first form): Whitish yellow; shade of red or crimson in the sun; traces of russet and many russet dots.
Downing (second form): Pale yellow, slightly netted with russet, and with small brown or russet dots.
Hedrick: Lemon-yellow.
Flesh and Flavor
Downing (first form): White, half melting, juicy, sweet, a little perfumed. Quality: Good to Very Good.
Downing (second form): Yellowish, coarse, not juicy or melting. Quality: Hardly Good.
Hedrick: White, fine, breaking; juice sufficient; wanting in sugar, acidulous, without appreciable perfume. Not of first quality, but of some value on account of its prolonged period of maturity.
Core / Seeds
Not described in source.
Season
Downing (first form): Last of September and October.
Downing (second form): November and December.
Hedrick: January to end of winter.
The three seasonal descriptions do not agree, which is consistent with Downing's observation that two distinct pears were circulating under this name. Hedrick's late-keeping season (Jan. to end of winter) and his note on "prolonged period of maturity" as the variety's chief value align loosely with the second Downing form in timing, though the flesh character he describes (white, fine, breaking) is closer to the first.
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes / Variants
Downing explicitly received and described two distinct pears under the name Beurré Citron. The first (reddish-brown wood; obovate oblate; whitish-yellow with sun-red; white half-melting juicy flesh; Good to Very Good; Sept.–Oct.) and the second (yellowish-brown wood; irregular pyriform; pale yellow with russet netting; yellowish coarse dry flesh; Hardly Good; Nov.–Dec.) are sufficiently different in wood color, shape, skin, flesh quality, and season that Downing treats them as separate things traveling under the same name.
Other
Downing's remark on synonymy: Leroy makes General Lamoricière identical with Beurré Citron; Downing, having grown both, found them quite distinct.
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 Citron.
From Belgium, one of Van Mons' seedlings. Tree vigorous. Young wood reddish brown.
Fruit medium or below, obovate oblate. Skin whitish yellow, shade of red or crimson in the sun, traces of russet and many russet dots. Stalk long, a little curved, set in a small cavity, sometimes with a slight lip. Calyx open. Flesh white, half melting, juicy, sweet, a little perfumed. Good to very good. Last September and October.
We have received another and quite different pear under this name, the wood of which is yellowish brown.
Fruit medium or below, irregular, sometimes obovate obtuse pyriform, and again ovate acute pyriform. Skin pale yellow, slightly netted with russet, and with small brown or russet dots. Stalk medium, fleshy at insertion. Calyx open. Flesh yellowish, coarse, not juicy or melting. Hardly good. November, December.
Leroy makes General Lamoriciere identical with Beurre Citron, but as we have received them they are quite distinct.
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Beurré Citron.
- Downing Fr. Trees Am. 676. 1869.
- Mas Pom. Gen. 1:133, fig. 67. 1872.
From a Van Mons' seed bed. Fruit small or medium, ovate, somewhat globular, lemon-yellow; flesh white, fine, breaking; juice sufficient, wanting in sugar, acidulous, without appreciable perfume; not of first quality but of some value on account of its prolonged period of maturity; Jan. to end of winter.