Passe Crassane
Pear
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Passe Crassane
Origin/History
Raised by M. Boisbunel, a nurseryman at Rouen, France, from a bed of mixed seeds he made in 1845. The variety bore fruit and was first published at Rouen in 1855. Downing (1900) notes the variety originated in France; Hedrick (1921) cites Pomologie de la France 2:No. 82, Pl. 82 (1863) and Bunyard's Handbook of Hardy Fruits (1920).
Tree
Moderately vigorous. Young wood yellow olive brown. Not further described in either source.
Fruit
Size and Form: Downing describes the fruit as medium, obtuse pyriform. Hedrick describes it as medium or rather large, turbinate or globular-conic, flattened in Bergamot fashion. (The two sources conflict on both size and form.)
Stem: Long, rather stout, inclined (Downing).
Cavity: Medium (Downing).
Calyx: Small and closed (Downing).
Basin: Abrupt, uneven (Downing).
Skin: Rough and thick (Hedrick). Downing describes the ground color as yellow, with slight nettings and patches of russet, and thickly sprinkled with russet dots. Hedrick describes the skin as dull pale green, mottled with russet markings, passing to yellow on the side turned to the sun.
Flesh and Flavor: Downing describes the flesh as yellowish, gritty near the core, juicy, melting, and slightly vinous; quality rated Good. Hedrick describes the flesh as white, fine, melting, very juicy, saccharine, perfumed, and agreeably sprightly; quality rated very good. (The two sources conflict on flesh color — yellowish vs. white — on grittiness, on flavor character, and on overall quality rating.)
Core/Seeds: Not described in either source beyond Downing's note that the flesh is gritty near the core.
Season
Downing gives December–January. Hedrick gives January–March.
Uses
Not described in either source.
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in either source.
Other
Not described in either source.
Book Sources
Described in 2 period pomological works
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 9 catalogs (1894–1917) from California, England
- Felix Gillet , Barren Hill Nursery, Nevada City , California — 1894
- Felix Gillet , Barren Hill Nursery, Nevada City , California — 1895
- Felix Gillet , Barren Hill Nursery, Nevada City , California — 1897
- Kelway & Son , Langport, Somerset , England — 1897
- George Bunyard & Co. , Royal Nurseries, Maidstone, Kent , England — 1900
- James Veitch & Sons , Ltd., Royal Exotic Nursery, Chelsea, London (also Coombe Wood, Langley, and Feltham) , England — 1911
- Thomas Rivers & Son , Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire , England — 1913
- George Bunyard & Co. , Royal Nurseries, Maidstone, Kent , England — 1914
- George Bunyard & Co. , Royal Nurseries, Maidstone, Kent , England — 1917
View original book sources (2)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Passe Crassane.
Surpasse Crassane. Neue Crassane.
Originated in France. Tree moderately vigorous. Young wood yellow olive brown.
Fruit medium, obtuse pyriform, yellow, with slight nettings and patches of russet, and thickly sprinkled with russet dots. Stalk long, rather stout, inclined. Cavity medium. Calyx, small and closed. Basin abrupt, uneven. Flesh yellowish, gritty near the core, juicy, melting, slightly vinous. Good. December, January.
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Passe Crassane.
- Pom. France 2:No. 82, Pl. 82. 1863. 2. Bunyard Handb. Hardy Fr. 192. 1920.
This winter pear was raised by M. Boisbunel, a nurseryman at Rouen, Fr., from a bed of mixed seeds which he made in 1845; it bore fruit and was first published at Rouen in 1855. Fruit medium or rather large, turbinate or globular-conic, flattened in Bergamot fashion; skin rough, thick, of a dull pale green, mottled with russet markings and passing to yellow on the side turned to the sun; flesh white, fine, melting, very juicy, saccharine, perfumed, and agreeably sprightly; very good; Jan. to Mar.