Groom's Princess Royal
PearGroom's Princess Royal
Origin/History
An English fruit raised by Mr. Groom, a famous tulip-grower. Elliott (1865) identifies it as "Foreign."
Tree
Young wood olive yellow brown. Not further described in sources.
Fruit
Size and Form: Medium size, roundish.
Stem: Short and thick, set in a very trifling depression.
Cavity: Very trifling depression at the stem insertion.
Calyx: Small, open.
Basin: Shallow.
Skin: Greenish brown, with a tinge of brownish red, and some russet tracings.
Flesh and Flavor: Buttery and melting, a little gritty near the core, but sweet and high-flavored. Quality rated Very Good (Downing).
Core and Seeds: Not described in sources. Grittiness noted near the core but the core itself is not further described.
Season
January and February (Downing, Elliott); described as Winter (Thomas) — consistent across all sources.
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)Groom's Princess Royal.
Matthews Eliza. Princess Royal. Bergamotte Matthews Eliza.
An English fruit, raised by Mr. Groom, the famous tulip-grower. Young wood olive yellow brown.
Fruit of medium size, roundish. Skin greenish brown, with a tinge of brownish red, and some russet tracings. Stalk short and thick, set in a very trifling depression. Calyx small, open, set in a shallow basin. Flesh buttery, melting, a little gritty near the core, but sweet and high-flavored. Very good. January and February.
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Groom's Princess Royal.
Foreign. Fruit, of medium size, roundish ; skin, greenish brown, with tinge of brownish red, and some russet tracings ; stalk, short and thick, set in a very trifling depression ; calyx, small, open, set in a shallow basin ; flesh, buttery, melting, a little gritty near the core, but sweet and high-flavored. January and February.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Groom's Princess Royal. Medium, roundish, greenish-brown; buttery, melting, sweet, high-flavored. Winter. English.