Doyenne Sieulle
Pear
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Doyenne Sieulle
Origin/History
Raised from a seed bed of Jean Sieulle (Downing gives the name as M. Sieulle) at Vaux-Praslin, France, and placed on the market in 1815 (Hedrick). A hardy tree considered a profitable market pear in some sections (Downing).
Tree
Hardy, vigorous, and productive (Downing). Young wood is olive yellow-brown (Downing). Elliott notes that the variety requires high culture and does best on Quince stock under garden culture.
Fruit
Size and Form: Above medium to medium in size (Hedrick, Elliott); Downing gives medium. Form is disputed among sources: Downing describes the fruit as roundish oblate; Hedrick says it is often globular and often Doyenne-shaped; Elliott gives roundish oblong.
Stem: Stout (Downing, Elliott). Downing further specifies it is curved and inserted in a broad cavity by a ring or lip.
Cavity: Broad (Downing).
Calyx: Open (Downing, Elliott).
Basin: Small and shallow (Downing). Not described in the other sources.
Skin: The three sources give partially overlapping descriptions. Downing: greenish yellow, thickly sprinkled with green or brown dots, shaded with crimson and fawn in the sun. Hedrick: deep rich yellow ground, mottled and speckled with cinnamon-colored russet. Elliott: dull yellowish green, with a fine red cheek in sun and scattered russet specks.
Flesh and Flavor: Flesh is white (all sources). Downing describes it as coarse, very buttery, and juicy, with a rich vinous, slightly aromatic flavor, rating it Good. Hedrick gives a conflicting texture assessment — very white, fine, and semi-melting — with juice described as sufficient, acidulous, and sweet, and flavor as an agreeable almond flavor; quality variable, from second to first. Elliott describes the flesh as melting, sugary, vinous, and juicy, rating it "very good," sometimes "best."
Core: Large (Elliott). Not described in the other sources.
Seeds: Not described in source.
Season
October–November (Downing, Elliott). Hedrick gives November.
Uses
Considered a profitable market pear in some sections (Downing). Does best under high garden culture on Quince stock (Elliott).
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Referenced in Leroy, Dict. Pom. 2:87 (1869) and Hogg, Fruit Man. 567 (1884), per Hedrick.
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 Sieulle.
Sieulle. Beurre Sieulle. Bergamotte Sieulle.
A hardy tree, and a profitable market Pear in some sections. Raised by M. Sieulle. Tree vigorous and productive. Young wood olive yellow brown.
Fruit medium, roundish oblate. Skin greenish yellow, thickly sprinkled with green or brown dots, shaded with crimson and fawn in the sun. Stalk curved, stout, inserted in a broad cavity by a ring or lip. Calyx open in a small shallow basin. Flesh white, coarse, very buttery, juicy, with a rich vinous, slightly aromatic flavor. Good. October, November.
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Doyenne Sieulle.
- Leroy Diet. Pom. 2:87, fig. 1869.
- Hogg Fruit Man. 567. 1884.
From a seed bed of Jean Sieulle, Vaux-Praslin, Fr.; it was placed on the market in 1815. Fruit above medium to medium, often globular and often Doyenne-shaped, deep rich yellow ground, mottled and speckled with cinnamon-colored russet; flesh very white, fine, semi-melting; juice sufficient, acidulous, sweet, with an agreeable almond flavor; variable, from second to first; Nov.
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Doyenne Sieulle.
Beurre Sieulle, | Sieulle, | Bergamotte Sieulle.
Foreign. A variety requiring high culture ; does best on Quince, under garden culture. Fruit, above medium, roundish oblong, dull yellowish green, with fine red cheek in sun, scattered russet specks ; stem, stout ; calyx, open ; core, large ; flesh, white, melting, sugary, vinous, juicy ; "very good," sometimes "best." October, November.