Lucy Grieve
PearLucy Grieve (Pear)
Origin/History
An English pear raised from seed, originating in Guilford, England. According to Hedrick (citing Hogg, Fruit Manual, 1884), the variety bore fruit first in 1873 and was named in honor of the little girl who planted and tended the seed but died before the tree fruited. Downing attributes the raising of the variety to Lucy Grieve herself; Hedrick's account clarifies that the name is a posthumous memorial. Downing cites the Florist and Pomologist as his source.
Tree
Not described in source.
Fruit
Size and Form: The sources conflict on size: Downing describes the fruit as medium, while Hedrick describes it as large. On form, Downing gives oblong obtuse pyriform; Hedrick describes it as oval, rather uneven in outline, bossed around the waist and about the calyx.
Stem: Of medium length and thickness, set at an inclination in a shallow, uneven cavity. (Downing.)
Calyx: Closed. (Downing.)
Basin: Shallow, regular. (Downing.) Hedrick notes the surface is bossed about the calyx.
Skin: Clear, deep lemon-yellow (Downing), confirmed by Hedrick as lemon-yellow. Downing describes the dots as russet; Hedrick describes them as cinnamon-colored. Downing notes slight russet around the stem and calyx. Hedrick adds that the side next the sun occasionally shows a brownish-red blush.
Flesh and Flavor: White (Hedrick), moderately firm, fine-grained, tender, melting, very juicy. Downing characterizes the flavor as rich and slightly vinous; Hedrick describes it as richly flavored.
Season
October. Hedrick places it in the first quality rank.
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)Lucy Grieve.
A new pear raised from seed by Lucy Grieve, Guilford, England.
Fruit medium, oblong obtuse pyriform; skin clear, deep lemon-yellow thinly marked with russet dots, and slight russet around the stem and calyx; stalk of medium length and thickness, set at an inclination in a shallow, uneven cavity; calyx closed; basin shallow, regular; flesh moderately firm, fine grained, tender, melting, very juicy, rich, slightly vinous. October. (Florist and Pomologist.)
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Lucy Grieve.
i. Hogg Fruit Man. 607. 1884.
English; bore fruit first in 1873. Named in honor of the little girl who planted and tended the seed, but died before the tree fruited. Fruit large, oval, rather uneven in outline, bossed around the waist and about the calyx, lemon-yellow, with occasionally a brownish-red blush on the side next the sun, sprinkled with cinnamon-colored dots; flesh white, tender, melting, very juicy and richly flavored; first; Oct.