Long Green
PearLong Green
Origin/History
An old French pear described by Duhamel, cultivated in France for at least 100 years prior to 1921. Hedrick notes it is distinct from the Verte Longue (which is synonymous with Verte Longue d'Automne, also known as Mouthwater), though the two have been confused and share various names in common. Longue Verte has ten French synonyms. Downing lists Verte Longue, Mouille Bouche, and Mouthwater among associated names, reflecting the historical confusion between these varieties.
Tree
Tree very vigorous and productive (Downing).
Fruit
Size: Sources conflict. Downing describes the fruit as small; Hedrick as above medium; Thomas as rather large.
Form: Very long, long-pyriform, fig-like in form, with both ends rather acute. Narrowed from the middle to the stalk. Described by Downing as obovate acute pyriform; Thomas adds that the ends are rather acute.
Stem: Of medium length, nearly perpendicularly inserted (Downing). Thomas describes the stem as oblique.
Cavity: Not described in source.
Calyx: Small, almost without basin (Downing).
Basin: Almost absent; calyx small (Downing). Not further described.
Skin: Remains green when fully ripe. Grass-green, passing to brownish-green on the face exposed to the sun (Hedrick). Surface wholly green (Thomas). Uniformly sprinkled with dots of gray-russet (Hedrick).
Flesh/Flavor: Greenish-white, fine or semi-fine, melting, rather granular around the seeds (Hedrick). Juice abundant, saccharine, sweet, with a characteristic perfume, often very slight (Hedrick). Downing describes the flavor as pleasant and spicy; Thomas as good and agreeable; both concur the flesh is very juicy and melting. Quality rated Good by Downing; second by Hedrick.
Core/Seeds: Flesh rather granular around the seeds (Hedrick). Not further described.
Season
September (Downing, Hedrick).
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes/Variants
The Striped Long Green is a sub-variety (Thomas).
The Long Green of Autumn (Verte Longue d'Automne, also called Mouthwater) is a quite distinct variety, not a sub-variety of Long Green. It is smaller, much more rounded, with a long stem and a brown cheek; very juicy and pleasant; ripens late in autumn, approximately one month after Long Green. Profusely productive and valuable (Thomas).
Other
Hedrick explicitly flags the taxonomic confusion: this French pear (Long Green / Longue Verte) must not be conflated with Verte Longue d'Automne, despite the two pears sharing several names in common across different authorities.
Book Sources
Described in 3 period pomological works
View original book sources (3)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Long Green.
Verte Longue. Mouille Bouche. Mouthwater.
An old variety, described by Duhamel. Tree very vigorous and productive.
Fruit small, obovate acute pyriform. Stalk of medium length, nearly perpendicularly inserted. Calyx small, almost without basin. Skin remains green when fully ripe. Flesh melting, juicy, with a pleasant spicy flavor. Good. September.
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Long Green,
- Downing Fr. Trees Am. 803. 1869. Belgische Zapfenbirne.
- Dochnahl Führ. Obstkunde 2:139. 1856. Longue-Verte.
- Leroy Diet. Pom. 2:349, fig. 1869. Grune Lange Herbstbirne.
- Mathieu Nom. Pom. 228. 1889.
This French pear is distinct from the Verte Longue which is synonymous with Verte Longue d'Automne, though these two pears have been confused and have various names in common. It has been cultivated in France for the last 100 years. Longue Verte has ten French synonyms. Fruit above medium, very long, fig-like in form, narrowed from middle to stalk, acute, grass-green passing to brownish-green on the face exposed to the sun, uniformly sprinkled with dots of gray-russet; flesh greenish-white, fine or semi-fine, melting, rather granular around the seeds; juice abundant, saccharine, sweet, with a characteristic perfume, often very slight; second; Sept.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Long Green. (Verte Longue.) Rather large, long-pyriform, the ends rather acute, stem oblique; surface wholly green; flesh very juicy, with a good and agreeable flavor. The Striped Long Green is a sub-variety. Long Green of Autumn (Verte Longue d'Automne, or Mouthwater) is quite distinct, being smaller, much more rounded, stem long, and with a brown cheek; very juicy and pleasant; ripens late in autumn, a month after the preceding. Profusely productive, and valuable.