Orange Tulipee
PearOrange Tulipee
Origin / History
An old French pear, grown in the south of France and sold in Paris at a very low price. It is known to have been cultivated for some three centuries, having been described in the Jardinier François in 1665. Documented by Duhamel (Traité des Arbres Fruitiers, 2:202, Pl. XLI, 1768) and by Leroy (Dictionnaire de Pomologie, 488, fig., 1869). Known under several alternate names including Poire aux Mouches, Striped Orange, Tuliped or Fly-Pear, and Great Orange. Hedrick (1921) considers it not worth growing today.
Tree
Not described in source.
Fruit
Size and Form: The two sources conflict on size: Downing describes the fruit as pretty large; Hedrick gives it as medium and often below. Form likewise differs between sources: Downing describes it as oval pyriform; Hedrick as globular-ovate, or turbinate-rounded, with one side larger than the other.
Stem: Not described in source.
Cavity: Not described in source.
Calyx: Not described in source.
Basin: Not described in source.
Skin: Thick and rough (Hedrick). Color yellow-green (Hedrick) — Downing describes it simply as green. Well colored with red-brown on the side next the sun, with numerous carmine streaks and marks on the shaded side; sprinkled with large, gray, scaly dots (Hedrick). Downing describes the sun-exposed side as shaded with brownish red, consistent with Hedrick's account though less detailed.
Flesh / Flavor: White (Hedrick). The two sources differ slightly on texture: Downing describes the flesh as melting; Hedrick as semi-fine and semi-melting, more or less granular around the core. Juice sufficient, saccharine, slightly astringent, with a slight perfume of fennel (Hedrick); Downing describes the juice simply as agreeable. Quality rated third (Hedrick).
Core / Seeds: Not described in source.
Season
September. Both sources agree.
Uses
Historically sold in the Paris market at a very low price. Its modest quality rating (third) and Hedrick's assessment that it is not worth growing today suggest it was grown primarily for local or commercial sale rather than as a premium dessert fruit.
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 Tulipee.
Poire aux Mouches. Striped Orange. Tuliped or Fly-Pear. Great Orange.
Fruit pretty large, oval pyriform, green, shaded in sun with brownish red. Flesh melting, juice agreeable. September. (Lind.)
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Orange Tulipee.
- Duhamel Trait. Arb. Fr. 2:202, Pl. XLI. 1768.
- Leroy Dict. Pom. 488, fig. 1869.
An old French pear grown in the south of France and sold in Paris at a very low price. It is known to have been cultivated for some three centuries, but is not worth growing today. Described in the Jardinier François in 1665.
Fruit medium and often below, globular-ovate, or turbinate-rounded, with one side larger than the other; skin thick and rough, yellow-green, sprinkled with large, gray, scaly dots, and well colored with red-brown on the side next the sun, and numerous carmine streaks and marks on the other side; flesh white, semi-fine and semi-melting, more or less granular around the core; juice sufficient, saccharine, slightly astringent, with a slight perfume of fennel; third; Sept.