Bonneserre de Saint-Denis

Bonneserre de Saint-Denis

Origin/History

Raised from seed by André Leroy, Angers, France, in 1863. First described in Leroy's Dictionnaire de Pomologie 1:490, with figures, in 1867. Described by Hedrick as "an exquisite pear."

Tree

Very productive. Young wood reddish brown grayish. (Downing.)

Bearing habit, bark, lenticels, buds, leaves, and vigor not described in source.

Fruit

Size and Form: Downing describes the fruit as medium to large, roundish obovate. Hedrick describes it as medium or above, globular-obtuse-pyriform, regular in outline.

Subtypes/Variants: Hedrick notes a second type of the variety that is rather contorted and bossed.

Skin: Downing describes the color as yellowish green, dotted and splashed with red. Hedrick describes it as greenish-yellow, dotted, striped, and stained with russet. (The two sources thus agree on a yellowish-green ground and dotted surface, but differ on the overcolor: Downing gives red splashing, Hedrick gives russet striping and staining.)

Stem: Short. (Downing.)

Cavity: Not described in source.

Calyx: Large, half closed. (Downing.)

Basin: Not described in source.

Flesh and Flavor: Flesh white, fine, and melting. Both sources note the flesh is rough or granular about the core (Downing: "rough at the core"; Hedrick: "granular about the core"). Juice plentiful (Hedrick). Both sources describe a delicious perfume. The flavor is described as sweet by both sources; Downing adds "vinous," while Hedrick characterizes it as sweet and acid — a minor conflict in the flavor profile. Quality rated first by Hedrick.

Core/Seeds: Not described in source beyond the texture of the flesh at the core.

Season

December and January.

Uses

Not described in source.

Other

Not described in source.