Beurre Gris
Pear
Beurre Gris
Origin and History
A very old French pear of considerable antiquity. Documented in French horticultural literature by Olivier de Serres (1651), C. Mallet (1652), Claude St. Étienne (1670), and Merlet (1690). Mentioned by Rea in 1655 as cultivated in England under the name "Boeure de Roy." Early modern references include Duhamel (1768), Pomologie France (1864), Leroy (1867), and Hogg (1884).
Fruit
Size and Form: Large, oblong-obovate.
Skin: Color varies considerably but usually yellowish-green, nearly covered with thin brown or olive-russet; tinged with reddish-brown on the side next the sun.
Flesh: Greenish-white immediately under the skin, yellowish at the center; melting, tender, and buttery.
Flavor: Rich, musky, and subacid.
Tree
Not described in source.
Season
Not described in source.
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes and Variants
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 1 period pomological work
View original book sources (1)
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Beurre Gris.
- Duhamel Trait. Arb. Fr. 2:196, Pl. 38. 1768.
- Pom. France 2: No. 68, Pl. 68. 1864.
- Leroy Dict. Pom. 1:371, fig. 1867. Brown Beurre.
- Hogg Fruit Man. 538. 1884.
A very old French pear mentioned by Olivier de Serres, 1651; C. Mallet, 1652; Claude St. Étienne, 1670; and Merlet, 1690. It was mentioned by Rea in 1655 as being cultivated in England under the name of Boeure de Roy.
Fruit large, oblong-obovate; color of skin varies very much, but usually yellowish-green, nearly covered with thin brown or olive-russet and tinged with reddish-brown on the side next the sun; flesh greenish-white under the skin, yellowish at center, melting, tender, buttery, with a rich, musky and subacid flavor.