Gerardine

Pear

Origin/History

Obtained by M. Grégoire, Jodoigne, Belgium, early in the nineteenth century (Hedrick). Downing describes it as "a foreign variety" without further provenance detail.

Tree

A vigorous grower, with young wood dull grayish brown (Downing).

Fruit

Size: Medium.

Form: Downing, Elliott, and Thomas describe the fruit as roundish, somewhat irregular. Hedrick describes it as turbinate, more or less short and swelled, reducing to a point at the top — a substantially different shape that may indicate these sources are describing distinct selections under the same name.

Stem: Not described in source.

Cavity: Not described in source.

Calyx: Not described in source.

Basin: Not described in source.

Skin: Downing, Elliott, and Thomas agree: yellow, with many spots and patches of rough russet, and a reddish tint towards the sun. Hedrick gives a markedly different description: skin thick, firm, intense green dotted with large brown specks, changing to dark yellow at maturity, with golden-russet on the side of the sun and some red blush.

Flesh and Flavor: Downing, Elliott, and Thomas agree: coarse, buttery, astringent, granular. Downing and Elliott rate it "tolerably good." Hedrick again diverges significantly: flesh white, rather fine, buttery, melting, gritty about the center, full of rich sugary juice, vinous and highly scented — a far more favorable description.

Core/Seeds: Not described in source.

Season

September (Downing, Elliott, Thomas). November (Hedrick).

Uses

Not described in source.

Subtypes/Variants

Not described in source.

Other

The Downing/Elliott/Thomas descriptions are closely aligned and likely derive from a common source, describing a coarse, astringent, September pear. Hedrick's description, drawn from Mas Pom. Gen. (3:119, fig. 156, 1878), describes a fine-fleshed, melting, richly flavored November pear of Belgian origin — differing in form, skin, flesh quality, and season. These discrepancies are extensive enough to suggest the sources may be treating two distinct varieties under overlapping names (Gerardin vs. Gerardine).

Book Sources

Described in 4 period pomological works

View original book sources (4)

Gerardin.

Girardin. Gerardine. Girardon. La Girardin.

A foreign variety. Tree a vigorous grower. Young wood dull grayish brown.

Fruit medium, roundish, somewhat irregular. Skin yellow, with many spots and patches of rough russet, and a reddish tint towards the sun. Flesh coarse, buttery, astringent, granular. Tolerably good. September.

— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)

Gerardine.

i. Mas Pom. Gen. 3:119, fig. 156. 1878.

Obtained by M. Grégoire, Jodoigne, Bel., early in the nineteenth century. Fruit medium, turbinate, more or less short and swelled, reducing to a point at the top; skin thick, firm, intense green dotted with large brown specks, changing to dark yellow at maturity, with golden-russet on the side of the sun and some red blush; flesh white, rather fine, buttery, melting, gritty about the center, full of rich sugary juice, vinous and highly scented; Nov.

— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)

Gerardin.

Fruit, medium, roundish, somewhat irregular ; skin, yellow, with many spots and patches of rough russet, and a reddish tint towards the sun ; flesh, coarse, buttery, astringent, granular, tolerably good. September.

— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)

Gerardin. Medium, roundish, irregular, yellow with russet; granular, astringent. September.

— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)

Gerardin Girardin Girardon La Girardin Early Summer Bergamot White Doyenné Beurré de Bordeaux Summer Franc Real Clara Bezi de Montigny Fin Or D'Ete' Bergamotte d'Été Verte Longue, Mouille Bouche Jargonelle (French) Sainte Anne Girardon Verte longue Verte Longue Panachée, Striped Long Green Long Green Doyenne White Long Green, of Coxe St. Dorothee Sapieganka Bergamot, Hampden's Franc Real d'Été