Orange Rouge
PearOrange Rouge
Origin/History
An old variety of obscure origin. Henri Manger wrote in 1783 that it appeared to him to be the Favonianum Rubrum mentioned by Pliny, but according to M. Leroy it more likely originated at Poitiers, and may be the Rousette or Orange du Poitou or Poire de Poitiers. Downing describes it as "an old variety of little value." Hedrick cites it as early as Duhamel's Traité des Arbres Fruitiers (2:141, 1768) and Leroy's Dictionnaire de Pomologie (2:486, with figure, 1869).
Tree
Not described in source.
Fruit
Size: Medium (both sources agree).
Form: The two sources differ. Downing describes the fruit as nearly globular. Hedrick describes it as round, even, and regular, or inclining to turbinate.
Stem, Cavity, Calyx, Basin: Not described in source.
Skin: The two sources give substantially different accounts. Downing describes the skin as pale yellow with a few traces of russet and brown dots, with no mention of red. Hedrick describes the skin as thick, clear grayish-yellow, clouded with green on the shaded side, sprinkled with pale gray dots, and extensively washed and streaked with a lively dark red.
Flesh and Flavor: Downing: white, half melting, sweet. Hedrick: whitish, semi-fine; juice abundant, more or less saccharine, acidulous and musky.
Core/Seeds: Not described in source.
Season
Hedrick places ripening at the end of August. Downing gives early September.
Uses
Hedrick rates the quality as second, often third.
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)Orange.
Red Orange. Orange d'Automne. Orange Rouge.
An old variety of little value.
Fruit medium, nearly globular, pale yellow, with a few traces of russet and brown dots. Flesh white, half melting, sweet. Early September.
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Orange Rouge. 1. Duhamel Trait Arb. Fr. 2:141. 1768. 2. Leroy Dict. Pom. 2:486, fig. 1869. Red Orange. 3. Hogg Fruit Man. 636. 1884.
An old variety of obscure origin. Henri Manger wrote in 1783 that it appeared to him to be the Favonianum Rubrum mentioned by Pliny, but it appears according to M. Leroy more likely to have originated at Poitiers, and to be the Rousette or Orange du Poitou or Poire de Poitiers. Fruit medium, round, even, regular or inclining to turbinate; skin thick, clear grayish-yellow, clouded with green on the shaded side, sprinkled with pale gray dots and extensively washed and streaked with a lively dark red; flesh whitish, semi-fine; juice abundant, more or less saccharine, acidulous and musky; second, often third; end of Aug.