Ellis
Pear
Ellis
Origin/History
The Ellis was raised from seed of the Seckel pear in 1843 by Annie E. Ellis of New Bedford, Massachusetts. It is described in Magazine of Horticulture 30:370, fig. 13 (1864) and in Downing's Fruits and Fruit Trees of America p. 755, fig. (1869).
Downing also records a second pear grown under the name "Ellis" in western New York, which he considers entirely distinct from the Massachusetts Ellis. See Subtypes/Variants below.
Tree
Vigorous, hardy, and prolific. (Thomas confirms Massachusetts origin.)
Fruit
Size and Form: Large (Thomas: "rather large"), oblong-obovate-pyriform, truncate, slightly uneven.
Stem: Rather long, rather stout, set in a small cavity.
Cavity: Small.
Calyx: Large, open.
Basin: Uneven, slight.
Skin: Greenish-yellow (Thomas: "yellowish-green"), patched and mottled with russet, sprinkled with many russet dots.
Flesh and Flavor: Whitish, juicy, melting, sweet, slightly vinous, aromatic. Rated very good. Thomas concurs: juicy, melting, vinous.
Core/Seeds: Not described in source.
Season
September and October (Thomas: Early October).
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes/Variants
Ellis (New York): Downing describes a second pear circulating under the name "Ellis" in western New York, which he regards as entirely distinct from the Massachusetts Ellis. It differs in the following respects: fruit medium in size (vs. large); form acute-pyriform (vs. oblong-obovate-pyriform, truncate); skin greenish-yellow shaded with crimson-red on the sun-exposed side, with very small brown dots (vs. greenish-yellow patched and mottled with russet, many russet dots); flesh white, juicy, melting, vinous, often astringent, and disposed to rot at the core (vs. sweet, slightly vinous, aromatic, very good). Season August and September, earlier than the Massachusetts Ellis. Rated good (vs. very good). Tree characteristics not described for the New York strain.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 2 period pomological works
View original book sources (2)
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Ellis,
- Mag. Hort. 30:370, fig. 13. 1864. 2. Downing Fr. Trees Am. 755, fig. 1869. Raised from seed of Seckel in 1843 by Annie E. Ellis, New Bedford, Mass. Tree vigorous, hardy, prolific. Fruit large, oblong-obovate-pyriform, truncate, slightly uneven, greenish-yellow, patched and mottled with russet, sprinkled with many russet dots; stem rather long, rather stout, set in a small cavity; calyx large, open; basin uneven, slight; flesh whitish, juicy, melting, sweet, slightly vinous, aromatic; very good; Sept. and Oct.
Ellis (New York),
- Downing Fr. Trees Am. 756. 1869. Downing says that there is another pear under the name of "Ellis" grown in western New York, entirely distinct from Ellis. The fruit is described as medium, acute-pyriform, greenish-yellow, shaded with crimson-red in sun, with very small brown dots; flesh white, juicy, melting, vinous, often astringent, disposed to rot at the core; good; Aug. and Sept.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Ellis. Rather large, pyriform, yellowish-green; juicy, melting, vinous. Early October. Mass.