Louis Gregoire
Pear
Louis Gregoire
Origin/History
A seedling pear raised from a seed bed made in 1832 by M. Xavier Grégoire of Jodoigne, Belgium. Documented in Mas, Le Verger 2:147, fig. 72 (1866–73), and Hogg, Fruit Manual, p. 606 (1884).
Tree
Vigorous, somewhat upright grower, and productive. Young wood dull yellowish olive brown.
Fruit
Size: Downing describes the fruit as medium size; Hedrick gives it as below medium.
Form: Downing describes the shape as roundish obovate pyriform. Hedrick describes it as obtuse-turbinate, irregular in form, much larger on one side than the other — giving it an asymmetrical appearance. The surface is rather rough to the touch (Hedrick).
Stem: Stalk varying in length, set with little or no depression (Downing).
Cavity: Not described in source.
Calyx: Open; segments large and persistent (Downing).
Basin: Small and rather shallow (Downing).
Skin: Greenish yellow, considerably covered with russet and thickly dotted with russet dots (Downing). Hedrick similarly gives greenish-yellow, dotted and mottled with russet, and generally stained with fawn on the side exposed to the sun.
Flesh/Flavor: Flesh yellowish white (Downing) / whitish (Hedrick). On texture, Downing describes the flesh as juicy and melting; Hedrick qualifies this as semi-fine and semi-melting. On flavor, the sources diverge substantially: Downing calls it sweet and slightly vinous; Hedrick describes it as sugary, highly acid, often rather astringent, slightly musky, and sometimes rather delicate. Hedrick notes the astringency of the juice can be pronounced.
Core/Seeds: Not described in source.
Season
October (both sources); Downing extends the season through November.
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Quality rating differs between sources: Downing rates it "Good"; Hedrick rates it second quality, and sometimes only third when the astringency of the juice is too pronounced.
Book Sources
Described in 2 period pomological works
View original book sources (2)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Louis Gregoire.
A seedling raised in 1832 by M. Gregoire, of Jodoigne. Tree a vigorous, somewhat upright grower, and productive. Young wood dull yellowish olive brown.
Fruit medium size, roundish obovate pyriform, greenish yellow, considerably covered with russet, and thickly dotted with russet dots. Stalk varying, set with little or no depression. Calyx open. Segments large, persistent. Basin small and rather shallow. Flesh yellowish white, juicy, melting, sweet, slightly vinous. Good. October, November.
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Louis Gregoire.
- Mas Le Verger 2:147, fig. 72. 1866-73.
- Hogg Fruit Man. 606. 1884.
M. Xavier Grégoire, Jodoigne, Bel., obtained this pear from a seed bed made in 1832. Fruit below medium, obtuse-turbinate, irregular in form, much larger on one side than on the other, rather rough to the touch, greenish-yellow, dotted and mottled with russet and generally stained with fawn on the side of the sun; flesh whitish, semi-fine and semi-melting, juicy, sugary, highly acid, often rather astringent, slightly musky, and sometimes rather delicate; second and sometimes third when the astringency of its juice is too pronounced; Oct.