Iris Grégoire
PearIris Grégoire
Origin/History
A seedling raised by Xavier Grégoire of Jodoigne, Belgium, which fruited for the first time in 1853. First recorded in Magazine of Horticulture 23:155 (1857) and described with figure in Leroy, Dictionnaire de Pomologie 2:290 (1869). As of Downing's writing (1900), the variety was a Belgian pear as yet little known in America.
Tree
Moderately vigorous, productive. No further tree detail described in sources.
Fruit
Size and Form: The two sources disagree on size. Downing describes the fruit as medium to large; Hedrick gives it as variable in size, sometimes below medium. Both agree on a generally elongated form: Downing calls it oblong acute pyriform; Hedrick describes it as long-conic, swelled at base, bossed and corrugated at the apex.
Stem: Short (Downing), with two or more fleshy rings at its connection with the fruit (Downing).
Cavity: Not described in source.
Calyx: Not described in source.
Basin: Bossed and corrugated at apex (Hedrick).
Skin: The two sources disagree on color and markings. Downing describes the skin as clear light yellow with shades and marblings of red russet. Hedrick describes it as a clear golden-yellow, finely dotted and streaked with gray, washed with fawn at either pole.
Flesh and Flavor: Both sources agree the flesh is white and melting. They diverge significantly on quality: Downing describes the flesh as fine-grained, buttery, sweet, and perfumed, giving no indication of deficiency. Hedrick describes it as semi-fine and melting, rather dry and gritty, with insufficient juice; sweet, having a pleasant aroma; rated second quality, or even third when especially deficient in juice.
Core/Seeds: Not described in source.
Season
Downing gives December–January. Hedrick gives November and December. The sources are broadly in agreement on a late-autumn to midwinter ripening window, with Hedrick placing it somewhat earlier.
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 2 period pomological works
View original book sources (2)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Iris Grégoire.
A Belgian Pear, as yet little known in this country. Tree moderately vigorous, productive.
Fruit medium to large, oblong acute pyriform, clear light yellow, with shades and marblings of red russet. Stalk short, with two or more fleshy rings at its connection with the fruit. Flesh white, fine-grained, melting, buttery, sweet, perfumed. December, January. (An. Pom.)
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Iris Grégoire.
- Mag. Hort. 23:155. 1857. 2. Leroy Dict. Pom. 2:290, fig. 1869.
A seedling raised by Xavier Grégoire, Jodoigne, Bel., it fruited for the first time in 1853.
Fruit variable in size, sometimes below medium, long-conic, swelled at base, bossed, and corrugated at apex, a clear golden-yellow, finely dotted and streaked with gray, washed with fawn at either pole; flesh white, semi-fine and melting, rather dry and gritty; juice insufficient, sweet, having a pleasant aroma; second or even third when especially deficient in juice; Nov. and Dec.