Paul Thielens

Pear

Paul Thielens

Origin/History

Paul Thielens originated as one of Van Mons' seedlings, raised from a seed bed made in 1829 at his nursery at Louvain, Belgium (Hedrick). The variety first fruited in 1844 (Downing). Thomas confirms Belgian origin.

Tree

Tree vigorous and productive. Young wood olive yellow brown. Not further described in sources.

Fruit

Size: Conflicting accounts. Downing describes the fruit as medium or below; Hedrick and Thomas both describe it as large.

Form: Conflicting accounts. Downing describes the fruit as roundish oblate; Hedrick describes it as ovate, very irregular, bossed and swelled, or ovate, nearly globular; Thomas describes it as conic obovate.

Stem: Medium length, pretty stout (Downing). Not described by other sources.

Cavity: Broad, irregular (Downing).

Calyx: Small; segments persistent (Downing).

Basin: Small, abrupt, uneven (Downing).

Skin: Pale yellow, slightly netted and patched with russet, and sprinkled with russet dots, with a light shade of crimson on the side toward the sun (Downing). Hedrick describes the skin as a little rough, transparent greenish-yellow, dotted and marked with grayish-russet, slightly blushed with dull red on the side next the sun. Thomas describes the color simply as yellowish.

Flesh and Flavor: Downing describes the flesh as whitish, coarse, juicy, melting, and a little astringent, rating the variety Good. Hedrick describes the flesh as white, semi-fine and semimelting, gritty at the center; juice rarely abundant, more or less saccharine, slightly aromatic; rated second quality. Thomas describes the flesh as melting, slightly coarse, and pleasant.

Core/Seeds: Not described in sources.

Season

October (Downing, Hedrick). Thomas gives November.

Uses

Not described in sources.

Subtypes/Variants

Not described in sources.

Other

Hedrick cites Leroy, Dict. Pom. 2:510, fig. (1869) and Downing, Fr. Trees Am. 830 (1869) as prior references.

Book Sources

Described in 3 period pomological works

View original book sources (3)

PAUL THIELENS.

One of Van Mons' seedlings, first fruited in 1844. Tree vigorous and productive. Young wood olive yellow brown.

Fruit medium or below, roundish oblate, pale yellow, slightly netted and patched with russet, and sprinkled with russet dots, light shade of crimson in the sun. Stalk medium length, pretty stout. Cavity broad, irregular. Calyx small. Segments persistent. Basin small, abrupt, uneven. Flesh whitish, coarse, juicy, melting, a little astringent. Good. October.

— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)

Paul Thielens.

Leroy Dict. Pom. 2:510, fig. 1869. 2. Downing Fr. Trees Am. 830. 1869.

Paul Thielens came from a seed bed made by Van Mons in 1829 in his nursery at Louvain, Bel. Fruit large, ovate, very irregular, bossed and swelled, or ovate, nearly globular; skin a little rough, transparent greenish-yellow, dotted and marked with grayish-russet, slightly blushed with dull red on the side next the sun; flesh white, semi-fine and semimelting, gritty at the center; juice rarely abundant, more or less saccharine, slightly aromatic; second; Oct.

— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)

Paul Thielens. Large, conic obovate, yellowish; melting, slightly coarse, pleasant. November. Belgian.

— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)

Pater Noster