Hélène Grégoire
PearHélène Grégoire
Origin/History
Raised at Jodoigne, Belgium. Hedrick identifies the originator as Xavier Grégoire, a tanner, who obtained this pear in 1840 from a seedling bed of the variety Pastorale. Downing refers to the originator only as "M. Grégoire." Thomas notes simply that the variety is Belgian. Hedrick cites Annales de Pomologie Belge 4:79, fig. (1856) and Leroy, Dictionnaire de Pomologie 2:270, fig. (1869) as bibliographic sources.
Tree
Vigorous and productive (Downing). Young wood dull reddish brown (Downing). Not further described in sources.
Fruit
Size and form: Downing describes the fruit as large and ovate. Hedrick describes it as large or very large, ovate, and inclined to be contorted at times. Thomas, by contrast, describes it as medium and pyriform — a conflict with the other two sources on both size and shape.
Skin: Light greenish yellow, slightly colored in the sun (Downing; Thomas concurs with "greenish-yellow"). The surface is smooth and shining (Hedrick), marked with russet patches and spots (Downing), or more specifically dotted and veined with russet and stained with russet around the stem and calyx (Hedrick).
Stem: Short (Downing).
Cavity: Narrow, in which the short stalk is set (Downing).
Calyx: Large (Downing).
Basin: Furrowed (Downing).
Flesh and flavor: Flesh white (Hedrick), fine, melting, semi-buttery (Downing: "half buttery"; Hedrick: "semi-buttery"), green under the skin, free from grit (Hedrick), juicy and sweet (all sources). Downing characterizes the flavor as perfumed; Hedrick describes it as delicate and possessed of an exquisite buttery flavor.
Season
October. Hedrick specifies early October.
Uses
Rated "very good" by Thomas; Hedrick gives a quality rating of "first."
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
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)Helene Gregoire.
Raised by M. Gregoire, of Jodoigne, Belgium. Tree vigorous and productive. Young wood dull reddish brown.
Fruit large, ovate, light greenish yellow, slightly colored in the sun, russet patches and spots. Stalk short, set in a narrow cavity. Calyx large. Basin furrowed. Flesh fine, melting, half buttery, juicy, sweet, perfumed. October. (An. Pom.)
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Hélène Grégoire.
- Ann. Pom. Belge 4:79, fig. 1856.
- Leroy Dict. Pom. 2:270, fig. 1869.
Xavier Grégoire, a tanner at Jodoigne, Bel., obtained this pear in 1840 from a bed of the seeds of the pear Pastorale. Fruit large or very large, ovate, inclined to be contorted at times, smooth, shining, dotted and veined with russet, stained with the same around the stem and calyx; flesh white, fine, melting, semi-buttery, green under the skin, free from grit, full of sweet juice, delicate and possessed of an exquisite buttery flavor; first; early Oct.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Hélène Grégoire. Medium, pyriform, greenish-yellow; juicy, melting, sweet; very good. October. Belgian.