Ellis
Pear
Ellis
Origin/History
Raised from seed of the Seckel in 1843 by Annie E. Ellis (Hedrick; Downing gives the raiser as "Mrs. Ellis"), of New Bedford, Massachusetts. First published in Magazine of Horticulture 30:370, fig. 13 (1864); subsequently described in Downing's Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (755, fig., 1869).
There is a second, entirely distinct pear known under the name Ellis, grown in western New York; it is described separately under Subtypes/Variants below.
Tree
Vigorous grower, hardy, and prolific. Young shoots dull yellow-brown, with long gray specks.
Fruit
Size and Form: Large, oblong-obovate pyriform. Downing describes the form as "oblong obovate obtuse pyriform"; Hedrick characterizes it as "oblong-obovate-pyriform, truncate." Thomas concurs on size, calling the fruit "rather large, pyriform."
Surface: Somewhat uneven (Downing); slightly uneven (Hedrick).
Skin: Greenish yellow (Hedrick, Thomas; Downing concurs), patched and mottled with russet, and sometimes showing a shade of crimson in the sun (Downing; Hedrick omits the crimson). Sprinkled with many russet dots.
Stem: Rather long and curved, set in a small cavity. Downing describes the stalk as "rather large, long, curved"; Hedrick calls it "rather long, rather stout."
Calyx: Open; calyx large (Hedrick). Segments long, recurved (Downing).
Basin: Uneven; slight (Hedrick).
Flesh/Flavor: Whitish, juicy, melting, sweet, slightly vinous, aromatic. Rated very good. Thomas describes the flesh as "juicy, melting, vinous."
Season
September and October (Downing, Hedrick). Thomas records it as Early October, from Massachusetts.
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes/Variants
Ellis (New York): A second pear grown in western New York under the name Ellis, described by Downing and noted by Hedrick as entirely distinct from the New Bedford variety. Fruit medium, acute pyriform, greenish yellow, shaded with crimson red in the sun, with many very small brown dots. Flesh white, juicy, melting, vinous, and often astringent; disposed to rot at the core. Quality: good. Season: August and early September.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 3 period pomological works
View original book sources (3)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Ellis.
Raised from seed of the Seckel, by Mrs. Ellis, of New Bedford, Mass., in 1843. The tree is a vigorous grower, hardy, and prolific. Young shoots dull yellow brown, with long gray specks.
Fruit large, oblong obovate obtuse pyriform. Surface somewhat uneven, greenish yellow, patched and mottled with russet, and sometimes a shade of crimson in the sun, many russet dots. Stalk rather large, long, curved, and set in a small cavity. Calyx open. Segments long recurved. Basin uneven. Flesh whitish, juicy, melting, sweet, slightly vinous, aromatic. Very good. September and October.
There is another Pear under the name of Ellis, grown in Western New York, entirely distinct.
Fruit medium, acute pyriform, greenish yellow, shaded with crimson red in sun, many small brown dots. Flesh white, juicy, melting, vinous, and often astringent, and disposed to rot at the core. Good. August and early September.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Ellis. Rather large, pyriform, yellowish-green; juicy, melting, vinous. Early October. Mass.
— 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.