Delpierre
Pear
Delpierre
Origin and History
Delpierre is a chance seedling (wilding) found in the Canton of Jodoigne, Brabant, Belgium, in the garden of M. Delpierre of Jodoigne. It is also known in pomological literature as Beurré Delpierre. The variety is documented in Leroy's Dictionnaire de Pomologie (2:17, fig., 1869) and the Guide Pratique (70, 252, 1895).
Tree
Very vigorous and very productive. Young shoots dark olive brown.
Fruit
Size and Form: Large. Downing describes the form as roundish obtuse pyriform; Hedrick describes it as ovate-obtuse-pyriform, wrinkled, and thick. The two accounts agree on the general pyriform character but differ in whether the outline is roundish (Downing) or more ovate and wrinkled (Hedrick).
Skin: The two sources give substantially different accounts of skin color. Downing describes the skin as pale yellow, partially blotched and netted with russet, and thickly sprinkled with small russet dots. Hedrick describes the skin as olive-green clouded with dark yellow, without mention of russet netting or dots. These descriptions may reflect different stages of ripeness or different individual specimens.
Stem: Rather long, generally curved (Downing).
Cavity: Medium (Downing).
Calyx: Closed (Downing).
Basin: Medium, nearly smooth (Downing).
Flesh: Downing describes the flesh as white, a little coarse, juicy, and melting. Hedrick describes it as greenish-white, coarse, and semi-melting. The sources agree on a somewhat coarse texture; they differ on color (white vs. greenish-white) and degree of melt (melting vs. semi-melting).
Flavor and Juice: The sources partially agree and partially conflict. Downing: sweet, slightly vinous. Hedrick: juice acid, rather sweet, vinous, abundant. Both note a vinous character and sweetness; Hedrick additionally notes acidity and abundant juice, which Downing does not mention.
Quality: Downing rates the variety good to very good. Hedrick rates it second (below first quality). These assessments conflict.
Season
September.
Uses
A dessert pear for the autumn season.
Book Sources
Described in 2 period pomological works
View original book sources (2)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Delpierre.
Beurre Delpierre.
A chance seedling in the garden of M. Delpierre, of Jodoigne, Belgium. Tree very vigorous, very productive; young shoots dark olive brown.
Fruit large, roundish obtuse pyriform; skin pale yellow, partially blotched and netted with russet and thickly sprinkled with small russet dots; stalk rather long, generally curved; cavity medium; calyx closed; basin medium, nearly smooth; flesh white, a little coarse, juicy, melting, sweet, slightly vinous; good to very good. September.
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Delpierre.
i. Leroy Dict. Pom. 2:17, fig. 1869. 2. Guide Prat. 70, 252. 1895.
A wilding found in the Canton of Jodoigne, Brabant, Bel. Fruit large, ovate-obtusepyriform, wrinkled, thick, olive-green clouded with dark yellow; flesh greenish-white, coarse, semi-melting; juice acid, rather sweet, vinous, abundant; second; Sept.