Florimond Parent
PearFlorimond Parent
Origin/History
A seedling raised by Van Mons, originating in Belgium (Thomas), raised about 1846 (Hedrick). Cited in Leroy's Dictionnaire de Pomologie (2:164, fig., 1869) and Downing's Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (762, 1869).
Tree
Of moderate vigor and fertility (Downing). Not described in other sources.
Fruit
Size: Downing and Thomas describe the fruit as very large; Hedrick describes it as large.
Form: Pyramidal (Downing); pyramidal pyriform, tapering to the crown (Thomas); long, more or less obtuse, always contracted near the summit and much swelled in the lower part (Hedrick). Downing describes it as swelled towards its centre, while Hedrick places the swelling specifically in the lower part.
Stem: Not described in sources.
Cavity: Not described in sources.
Calyx: Not described in sources.
Basin: Not described in sources.
Skin: Green, pointed, and striped with brown russet, becoming deep yellow at maturity (Downing); dark yellow clouded with pale green, dotted and mottled with fawn, and slightly washed with dark violet-red on the side exposed to the sun, sometimes also covered with small black and scaly stains (Hedrick); green becoming deep yellow (Thomas).
Flesh/Flavor: Coarse and melting across all sources. Downing describes the flesh as juicy, sugary, and agreeably perfumed, rating the variety Good. Thomas similarly calls it rich and perfumed. Hedrick, however, describes the flesh as whitish, coarse, rather melting, and gritty at the center, with juice abundant, sweet, and sugary but wanting in perfume — directly contradicting Downing and Thomas on the aromatic quality. Hedrick rates the variety third (a lower quality grade than Downing's Good).
Core/Seeds: Not described in sources.
Season
Ripe at the end of September (Downing); September (Hedrick, Thomas).
Uses
Not described in sources.
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in sources.
Book Sources
Described in 3 period pomological works
View original book sources (3)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Florimond Parent.
One of Van Mons' seedlings. Tree of moderate vigor and fertility.
Fruit very large, pyramidal, swelled towards its centre, green, pointed and striped with brown russet, becomes deep yellow at maturity. Flesh coarse, melting, juicy, sugary, and agreeably perfumed. Good. Ripe at the end of September.
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Florimond Parent.
- Leroy Dict. Pom. 2:164, fig. 1869.
- Downing Fr. Trees Am. 762. 1869.
A seedling of Van Mons raised about 1846. Fruit large, long, more or less obtuse, always contracted near the summit and much swelled in its lower part, dark yellow clouded with pale green, dotted and mottled with fawn and slightly washed with dark violet-red on the side exposed to the sun, sometimes also covered with small, black and scaly stains; flesh whitish, coarse, rather melting, gritty at center; juice abundant, sweet, sugary, wanting in perfume; third; Sept.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Florimond Parent. Very large, pyramidal pyriform, tapering to crown, green becoming deep yellow; coarse; melting, rich, perfumed. September. Belgian.