Monseigneur Sibour
PearMonseigneur Sibour
Origin/History
Originated at Jodoigne, Belgium, from a seedling bed made by Xavier Grégoire; dates from 1855. Described in the Annals of Pomology and in Leroy's Dictionnaire de Pomologie (2:432, 1869). Introduced to American pomological literature by Downing (1869) as a new French pear.
Tree
Not described in source.
Fruit
Size and Form: Downing gives the size as medium; Hedrick describes it as above medium but often less. Downing gives the shape as obtuse pyriform; Hedrick describes it as ovate, swelled in its lower half.
Stem: Long and slender (Downing).
Cavity: Not described in source.
Calyx: Large and open (Downing).
Basin: Not described in source.
Skin: The two sources differ on coloration. Downing describes the skin as pale yellow with greenish shades, mottled, shaded, and dotted with warm red or crimson. Hedrick describes it as yellowish-green, dotted, marbled and streaked with gray-russet, and more or less washed with brown-fawn on the sun side.
Flesh and Flavor: Downing describes the flesh as yellowish white, half fine, melting, juicy, and sweet. Hedrick describes it as whitish, rather coarse, and semi-melting, with juice that is saccharine, vinous, and aromatic. Hedrick notes numerous grits around the core. Quality rated second (Hedrick).
Core and Seeds: Numerous grits present around the core (Hedrick). Seeds not otherwise described.
Season
End of October (Hedrick); November (Downing).
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes/Variants
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)Monseigneur Sibour.
A new French Pear, described in the Annals of Pomology:—
"Fruit medium, obtuse pyriform, pale yellow, with greenish shades, mottled, shaded, and dotted with warm red or crimson. Stalk long, slender. Calyx large, open. Flesh yellowish white, half fine, melting, juicy, sweet. November."
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Monseigneur Sibour.
- Leroy Diet. Pom. 2:432, fig. 1869.
- Downing Fr. Trees Am. 817. 1869.
Originated at Jodoigne, Bel., from a bed made by Xavier Grégoire; it dates from 1855. Fruit above medium but often less, ovate, swelled in its lower half, yellowish-green, dotted, marbled and streaked with gray-russet and more or less washed with brown-fawn on the side of the sun; flesh whitish, rather coarse, semi-melting, juicy, containing numerous grits around the core; juice saccharine, vinous and aromatic; second; end of Oct.