Doyenne Robin
PearDoyenne Robin
Origin/History
Raised in 1840 at Angers, France, by a gardener named Robin (Hedrick). Also known as Beurre Robin. The variety is of foreign origin and was documented in Leroy's Dictionnaire de Pomologie (2:81, fig., 1869) (Hedrick). Elliott notes it succeeds on Quince.
Tree
Vigorous (Downing). Young wood olive brown (Downing). Not further described in sources.
Fruit
Size and Form: Downing describes the fruit as medium and roundish oblate. Hedrick describes it as large and globular-ovate. Elliott describes it as rather large and bergamot-shaped. All three sources thus disagree on both size and form.
Stem: Long and stout (Downing); usually very long and thick (Elliott).
Cavity: Broad and deep (Downing); deep and narrow (Elliott). These two sources conflict directly on the width of the cavity.
Calyx: Partly closed (Downing); small and narrow (Elliott).
Basin: Moderately deep (Elliott).
Skin: Greenish yellow, netted, patched, and thickly sprinkled with russet and gray dots (Downing). Yellowish, dotted and stained with bright russet (Hedrick). Greenish, covered with russet dots and splashes (Elliott).
Flesh: Whitish, rather coarse, juicy, melting, somewhat granular, vinous, and perfumed (Downing). Melting, juicy, sweet, vinous, and aromatic (Hedrick). Melting, somewhat granular, with a pleasant flavor (Elliott).
Core/Seeds: Seeds large and black (Elliott). Core not otherwise described.
Season
September (Downing, Elliott). October (Hedrick).
Uses
Succeeds on Quince (Elliott).
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in sources.
Other
Quality rated as "Good" by Downing, "first" by Hedrick, and "very good" by Elliott.
Book Sources
Described in 3 period pomological works
View original book sources (3)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Doyenne Robin.
Beurre Robin.
Raised by M. Robin, Angers, France. Tree vigorous. Young wood olive brown.
Fruit medium, roundish oblate. Skin greenish yellow, netted, patched, and thickly sprinkled with russet and gray dots. Stalk long, stout, inserted in a broad deep cavity. Calyx partly closed. Flesh whitish, rather coarse, juicy, melting, somewhat granular, vinous, perfumed. Good. September.
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Doyenne Robin.
- Leroy Dict. Pom. 2:81, fig. 1869.
Raised in 1840 at Angers, Fr., by a gardener named Robin.
Fruit large, globular-ovate, yellowish, dotted and stained with bright russet; flesh melting, juicy, sweet, vinous, aromatic; first; Oct.
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Doyenne Robin. Beurre Robin. Foreign. Fruit, rather large, bergamot-shaped, greenish, covered with russet dots and splashes ; stem, usually very long and thick; deep, narrow cavity : calyx, small, narrow : moderately deep basin ; seed, large, black ; flesh, melting, somewhat granular ; flavor, pleasant ; quality, "very good." Succeeds on Quince. September.