Henri Bivort
PearOrigin/History
A Belgian variety, issued from the last seed beds made at Louvain by Van Mons and bought in 1844 by Bivort, who transplanted the seedlings to Geest-Saint-Rémy near Jodoigne, Belgium (Hedrick).
Tree
Vigorous (Downing, Elliott). Elliott describes the tree as "very vigorous."
Fruit
Size: Large (Elliott, Thomas, Hedrick) or medium (Downing). Hedrick describes it as "large or above medium."
Form: Obtuse pyriform (Elliott) or obovate pyriform (Downing). Hedrick describes it as obtuse-pyramidal. Thomas describes it as Doyenné-form.
Skin: Smooth (Elliott, Hedrick). Greenish yellow (Downing, Thomas) or pale green (Elliott) or olive-yellow (Hedrick), with few patches of russet and many green and brown dots (Downing). Hedrick describes it as dotted with brown, striped and mottled with greenish russet. Elliott notes brownish specks.
Stem: Not described in source.
Cavity: Not described in source.
Calyx: Open (Elliott).
Basin: Not described in source.
Flesh/Flavor: Whitish (Downing) or yellowish-white (Hedrick, Elliott). Fine-grained (Hedrick). Half melting (Downing) or semi-buttery and rather melting (Hedrick) or half buttery, melting (Elliott) or melting, buttery (Thomas). Juicy (Downing, Elliott, Thomas), with juice plentiful (Hedrick). Sugary (Downing) or sweet (Hedrick, Thomas). Perfumed (Elliott, Thomas). Hedrick describes the flavor as sweet, acid, aromatic and delicate. Rarely very gritty (Hedrick). Rated "Good" by Downing; rated "first" by Hedrick.
Core/Seeds: Not described in source.
Season
End of August (Hedrick). September (Downing, Elliott, Thomas).
Uses
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 4 period pomological works
View original book sources (4)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Henri Bivort.
Henri (Bivort.)
A Belgian variety. Tree vigorous.
Fruit medium, obovate pyriform, greenish yellow, few patches of russet, and many green and brown dots. Flesh whitish, juicy, half melting, sugary. Good. September.
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Henri Bivort.
- Mag. Hort. 20:462. 1854. 2. Leroy Diet. Pom. 2:273, fig. 1869. Poire Henri. 3. Mas Le Verger 2:137, fig. 67. 1866-73. Issued from the last seed beds made at Louvain by Van Mons and bought in 1844 by Bivort who transplanted the seedlings to Geest-Saint-Rémy near Jodoigne, Bel. Fruit large or above medium, obtuse-pyramidal, smooth, olive-yellow, dotted with brown, striped and mottled with greenish russet; flesh yellowish-white, fine, semi-buttery, rather melting, rarely very gritty, juice plentiful, sweet, acid, aromatic and delicate; first; end of Aug.
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Henri Bivort.
Foreign. Tree, very vigorous. Fruit, large, obtuse pyriform ; calyx, open ; skin, smooth, pale green, with brownish specks ; flesh, yellowish white, half buttery, juicy, melting, perfumed. September.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Henri Bivort. Large, Doyenné-form, greenish-yellow and brown; melting, buttery, juicy, sweet, perfumed. September. Belgian.