Hélène Grégoire
PearHélène Grégoire
Origin / History
Raised at Jodoigne, Belgium, by M. Grégoire (Downing). Hedrick names him Xavier Grégoire, a tanner at Jodoigne, who obtained the pear in 1840 from a bed of the seeds of the pear Pastorale. Thomas lists it as Belgian. Figured in Ann. Pom. Belge 4:79 (1856) and Leroy, Dict. Pom. 2:270 (1869), as cited by Hedrick.
Tree
Tree vigorous and productive. Young wood dull reddish brown.
Fruit
Size: Large to very large; Thomas alone gives medium.
Form: Ovate, inclined to be contorted at times (Hedrick); Thomas calls it pyriform.
Stem: Short.
Cavity: Narrow.
Calyx: Large.
Basin: Furrowed.
Skin: Smooth, shining; light greenish yellow, slightly colored in the sun. Russet patches, with russet veining, and russet staining around the stem and calyx.
Dots: Russet dots and spots.
Flesh and flavor: Flesh white, fine, melting, half buttery (semi-buttery), green under the skin, free from grit. Juicy, "full of sweet juice", sweet, perfumed, delicate, with "an exquisite buttery flavor". Thomas rates it "very good"; Hedrick ranks it "first".
Core and seeds: Not described in source.
Season
October; Hedrick gives early October.
Uses
Not described in source.
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.)
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Hélène Grégoire. Medium, pyriform, greenish-yellow; juicy, melting, sweet; very good. October. Belgian.
— 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.