Limon
PearLimon
Origin/History
A Belgian pear originated by Van Mons as a seedling, listed historically as "No. 10 of Van Mons" (Downing, Hedrick) and "No. 8 of Van Mons" (Elliott). First published in 1842 in the Magazine of Horticulture (8:57), and later described by Downing (Fruits and Fruit Trees of America, 1869, p. 802). Of foreign (Belgian) origin. Elliott noted that it "promises to take a first-class rank."
Tree
Moderately vigorous (Elliott). Young shoots long, slender, and reddish brown.
Fruit
Size and Form: Sources differ slightly on size — Downing and Hedrick describe the fruit as "rather small"; Thomas gives it as "medium"; Elliott gives it as "above medium." Form obovate (Downing, Hedrick), obovate roundish (Elliott), or obovate, sometimes slightly pyriform (Thomas).
Stem/Stalk: An inch and a half long, rather stout, according to Downing and Thomas; Elliott describes the stem as "rather short."
Cavity: Moderately depressed, round (Downing); round, even, shallow (Thomas).
Calyx: Slightly sunk (Thomas); set in a rather shallow round basin (Downing). Basin shallow (Elliott).
Skin: Yellow with a faint red cheek (Downing, Hedrick, Elliott); light yellow with a reddish-brown blush (Thomas).
Flesh/Flavor: Flesh white, buttery, melting, and juicy (Downing, Hedrick); buttery, melting, of fine texture (Thomas). Flavor described as "sprightly high flavor" (Downing), "sprightly flavor" (Hedrick), and "mild, sweet flavor slightly perfumed" (Thomas). Quality rated "very good" (Downing, Hedrick) and "nearly 'best'" (Elliott).
Core/Seeds: Not described in source.
Season
Middle of August (Downing, Hedrick); August (Elliott); late summer (Thomas).
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
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)Limon.
No. 10. Van Mons. Beurre Haggerston. Bergamotte Louise.
A fine sprightly Belgian Pear, originated by Van Mons. The young shoots are long, slender, reddish brown.
Fruit rather small, obovate, yellow, with a faint red cheek. Stalk an inch and a half long, rather stout, set in a moderately depressed round cavity. Calyx set in a rather shallow round basin. Flesh white, buttery, melting, and juicy, with a sprightly high flavor. Very good. Middle of August.
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Limon.
- Mag. Hort. 8:57. 1842.
- Downing Fr. Trees Am. 802. 1869.
A Van Mons seedling. Fruit rather small, obovate, yellow, with a faint red cheek; flesh white, buttery, melting and juicy, with a sprightly flavor; very good; mid-Aug.
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)LIMON.
No. 8 of Van Mons. | Beurre Haggenton.
Foreign. This promises to take a first-class rank. Tree, moderately vigorous; shoots, long, slender, reddish brown. Fruit, above medium, obovate roundish, yellow, with faint red cheek: stem, rather short; basin, shallow; flesh, white, melting, juicy, nearly "best." August.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Limon. (Hagerston.) Size medium; obovate, sometimes slightly pyriform ; light yellow, with a reddish-brown blush; stalk an inch and a half long; cavity round, even, shallow; calyx slightly sunk ; flesh buttery, melting, of fine texture, with a mild, sweet flavor slightly perfumed. Late summer. Shoots long, slender, reddish-brown. Belgian.