Napoleon
Pear
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Napoleon
Origin / History
Napoleon was raised from seed in 1808 by M. Liard, a gardener at Mons, Belgium (Downing, Bunyard, Hedrick). Bunyard records the further detail that the tree was purchased by l'Abbé Duquesne for 33 francs, and by him named Napoleon. Bunyard also notes that a distinct pear named Napoleon III. exists, "equally distinct as were the two Emperors," and observes that its numerous synonyms — such as Roi de Rome, Gloire de l'Empereur, and Captif de St. Helene — "tell their story of Imperial ambitions and their result." Elliott classes the variety simply as "Foreign"; Thomas and Budd & Hansen identify it as Belgian.
Tree
Vigorous, upright grower (Elliott, Downing); shoots upright/rather erect, olive-colored (Elliott, Downing, Thomas). Hardy, thrifty, and bears abundant crops even while very young (Downing); very productive, thrifty, hardy (Thomas). Bunyard rates growth as only moderate, with good fertility. Fruit is largest and finest on Quince (Elliott), though Bunyard notes the variety is "hardly strong enough on Quince for most soils." Bunyard describes the leaf as rather large, little upfolded, down curved, turning orange red and falling early. In poor soils or unfavorable exposures the fruit is astringent (Downing); Thomas notes it does best on warm, light soils, and Budd & Hansen note it is grown in the southeastern States.
Fruit
Size
Large (Elliott, Downing, Hedrick); medium to large or rather large (Thomas, Budd & Hansen). Bunyard gives specific dimensions of 3 by 3¼ inches.
Form
Obtuse to obovate and rounded pyriform (Elliott); obtuse pyriform (Downing, Bunyard); conic-pyriform, obtuse, variable (Thomas); conic pyriform, obtuse, but variable in shape (Budd & Hansen); obtuse-pyriform, swelled toward the base (Hedrick).
Stem / Stalk
Varying, usually stout (Elliott); from half an inch to an inch long, pretty stout, set in a slight depression or under a swollen lip (Downing); an inch long, stout, slightly sunk (Thomas); one-half to one inch long, inserted in slight cavity, with raised lip on one side (Budd & Hansen). Bunyard describes the stem as short and stout, set in a rather deep and irregular cavity.
Cavity
Slight depression, sometimes under a swollen lip or with a raised lip on one side (Downing, Budd & Hansen). Bunyard contrasts this with a rather deep and irregular cavity.
Calyx / Eye
Medium, open (Elliott); set in a basin of moderate depth (Downing). Bunyard: eye closed in a very deep narrow basin.
Basin
Moderate depth (Downing); rather large (Thomas); very deep and narrow (Bunyard).
Skin
Smooth (Elliott, Bunyard); greenish yellow (Elliott); clear green at first, becoming pale yellowish green at maturity (Downing); green becoming pale yellowish-green (Thomas); yellowish green when mature (Budd & Hansen); thin, smooth, bright green changing to greenish-yellow, covered with numerous brown dots, seldom blushed (Hedrick); yellowish-green with numerous russet dots and russet patches around eye and stem (Bunyard).
Flesh / Flavor
White, tender, juicy, "good" (Elliott); white, melting, juicy, sweet, sprightly, good (Downing); uncommonly juicy, melting, moderately rich, good, often astringent and worthless (Thomas); white, melting, juicy, sweet, refreshing, good (Budd & Hansen); white, fine grained, a little gritty, extraordinarily juicy, sweet, and briskly flavoured (Bunyard); white and fine, tender, melting, rather granular, very juicy, with a very saccharine, refreshing and aromatic flavor (Hedrick).
Core / Seeds
Not described in source.
Season
October (Elliott); September (Downing); from mid-autumn till winter, needs ripening in a warm room (Thomas); October to November (Bunyard); mid-October or nearly November to December (Hedrick). Hedrick rates it as first-class for dessert; Bunyard calls it a valuable fruit.
Uses
Dessert (Bunyard, Hedrick). Elliott describes it as "valuable as a market sort on Quince." Thomas notes it needs ripening in a warm room.
Subtypes / Variants
Elliott reports that "River says the Napoleon d'Hiver is not sufficiently distinct to be retained." Bunyard distinguishes a separate pear named Napoleon III. as a wholly distinct variety.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 6 period pomological works
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 3 catalogs (1864–1911) from England, Oregon
- St. Helena Nursery , Howell's Prairie, Marion County , Oregon — 1864
- Central Experimental Farm , Dominion Department of Agriculture, Agassiz, British Columbia (under test; Bulletin No. 3, Second Series) — 1900
- James Veitch & Sons , Ltd., Royal Exotic Nursery, Chelsea, London (also Coombe Wood, Langley, and Feltham) , England — 1911
View original book sources (6)
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Napoleon.
Médaille, | Roi de Rome.
Foreign. Tree, vigorous, upright grower, olive-colored shoots, fruit largest and finest on Quince, very productive. Fruit, large, obtuse to obovate, and rounded pyriform ; greenish yellow, smooth ; stem, varying, usually stout ; calyx, medium, open ; flesh, white, tender, juicy ; "good." Valuable as a market sort on Quince. River says the Napoleon d'Hiver is not sufficiently distinct to be retained. October.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Napoleon.
Medaille. Melon. Sucree Doree. Beurre d'Autien. Poire Liard. Liart. Roi de Rome, erroneously. Mabille. Bonaparte. Mailanderin Grosse Grune. Belle Canaise Napoleon d'Hiver. Charles. Bois Napoleon. Poire Napoleon. Napoleon Vrai. Gloire de l'Empereur. Bon Chretien Dore'. Captif de Sainte Helene.
The Napoleon is hardy, thrifty, and bears abundant crops, even while very young. In poor soils, or unfavorable exposures only, it is astringent. The tree is thrifty, and a vigorous grower. Shoots upright, olive colored. It was raised from seed, in 1808, by M. Liard, gardener at Mons.
Fruit pretty large, obtuse pyriform, clear green at first, but becoming pale yellowish green at maturity. Stalk varying from half an inch to an inch long, pretty stout, set in a slight depression or under a swollen lip. Calyx set in a basin of moderate depth. Flesh white, melting, juicy, sweet, sprightly. Good. September.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Napoleon. Medium or rather large; conic-pyriform, obtuse, variable; green becoming pale yellowish-green; stalk an inch long, stout, slightly sunk; basin rather large; flesh uncommonly juicy, melting, moderately rich, good, often astringent and worthless. From mid-autumn till winter. Needs ripening in a warm room. Very productive, thrifty, hardy. Shoots rather erect. Belgian. Best on warm, light soils.
— J.L. Budd & N.E. Hansen, American Horticultural Manual, Part II: Systematic Pomology (1914)Napoleon.—Medium to large, conic pyriform, obtuse, but variable in shape; color yellowish green when mature; stalk one-half to one inch long, inserted in slight cavity, with raised lip on one side. Flesh white, melting, juicy, sweet, refreshing, good. Grown in southeastern States. Belgium.
— E.A. Bunyard, A Handbook of Hardy Fruits (1920)NAPOLEON. Her. Pom., II., 38. (Medaille, Liart, etc.) Dessert, October to November, large 3 by 3¼, pyriform. Skin, smooth. Colour, yellowish-green with numerous russet dots and russet patches around eye and stem. Flesh, white, fine grained, a little gritty, extraordinarily juicy, sweet, and briskly flavoured. Eye, closed in a very deep narrow basin. Stem, short and stout in a rather deep and irregular cavity. Growth, moderate; fertility good. Leaf, rather large, little upfolded, down curved, turns orange red, falls early. Origin, raised by M. Liart, a gardener at Mons, in 1808. The tree was purchased by l'Abbe Duquesne for 33 francs, and by him named Napoleon. There is a pear also named Napoleon III., equally distinct as were the two Emperors. Its numerous synonyms, such as Roi de Rome, Gloire de l'Empereur and Captif de St. Helene, tell their story of Imperial ambitions and their result. A valuable fruit, hardly strong enough on Quince for most soils.
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Napoleon.
- Downing Fr. Trees Am. 819. 1869. 2. Bunyard Handb. Hardy Fr. 189. 1920. Napoleon I. 3. Leroy Diet. Pom. 2:453, fig. 1869. Napoleon Butterbirne. 4. Mathieu Nom. Pom. 257. 1889.
Napoleon was raised in 1808 by M. Liard, a gardener at Mons, Bel. Fruit large, obtuse-pyriform, swelled toward the base; skin thin, smooth, bright green changing to greenish-yellow, covered with numerous brown dots, seldom blushed; flesh white and fine, tender, melting, rather granular, very juicy, with a very saccharine, refreshing and aromatic flavor; first, a valuable dessert pear; mid-Oct. or nearly Nov. to Dec.