Liberale

Pear

Liberale

Origin/History

Of Belgian origin. Introduced to the United States as a new variety about 1850. Referenced in Magazine of Horticulture 21:519 (1855) and Downing's Fruits and Fruit Trees of America 801 (1869).

Tree

A vigorous grower. Young wood dull brown. (Downing; not further described in other sources.)

Fruit

Size and Form: Downing describes the fruit as medium; Hedrick and Thomas both characterize it as large or rather large. In form, Downing gives obovate obtuse pyriform; Hedrick gives obtuse-pyramidal or truncate-pyriform; Thomas gives long pyriform.

Stem: Long, curved, inserted in a cavity at an inclination. (Downing.)

Cavity: Present; receives the curved stalk at an inclination. (Downing.)

Calyx: Large and open. (Downing.)

Basin: Broad and shallow. (Downing.)

Skin: Greenish yellow to yellowish-green, acquiring a shade of brown in the sun (Downing; Hedrick describes the skin as fair and smooth without noting sun coloring). Sprinkled with brown or russet dots — Hedrick characterizes these as very thickly distributed, large, and conspicuous russety specks. Patched with russet in areas (Downing, Hedrick; Thomas: partly russeted).

Flesh and Flavor: Flesh yellowish (Downing) or yellowish-white (Hedrick). Juicy, melting, sweet, and rich across all sources. Hedrick alone notes the flesh is a little coarse. The aroma is distinctive and described by Downing as "peculiarly aromatic"; Hedrick specifies a peculiar almond, aromatic perfume.

Quality: Very good (Downing). "A very handsome and fine fruit" (Hedrick).

Season

October.

Uses

Not described in source.

Subtypes/Variants

Not described in source.

Book Sources

Described in 3 period pomological works

View original book sources (3)

Liberale.

Of Belgian origin. Tree a vigorous grower. Young wood dull brown.

Fruit medium, obovate obtuse pyriform, greenish yellow, shade of brown in the sun, sprinkled with brown or russet dots, and with patches of russet. Stalk long, curved, inserted in a cavity at an inclination. Calyx large and open. Basin broad and shallow. Flesh yellowish, juicy, melting, sweet, rich, and peculiarly aromatic. Very good. October.

— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)

Liberate.

Mag. Hort. 21:519. 1855.

Downing Fr. Trees Am. 801. 1869. Belgian. Introduced to this country as a new variety about 1850. Fruit large, obtuse-pyramidal or truncate-pyriform; skin fair, smooth, yellowish-green, very thickly dotted with large, conspicuous, russety specks, and patched with russet; flesh yellowish-white, a little coarse, melting, juicy, sweet, rich, with a peculiar almond, aromatic perfume; a very handsome and fine fruit; Oct.

— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)

Liberale. Rather large, long pyriform, greenish-yellow, partly russeted; juicy, sweet, rich, aromatic. October.

— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)

Belgian Liberate Belgian