Prince Napoleon
PearPrince Napoleon
Origin / History
Introduced by M. Boisbunel, Rouen, France (Downing). Hedrick states it was raised by M. Boisbunel, Rouen, from seed of the Passe Crassane in 1864, and cites Leroy, Dictionnaire pomologique 2:556, with figure, and Downing 1869.
Tree
Moderately vigorous and very productive. Young wood dull brown, slightly reddish.
Fruit
Size: Medium, sometimes larger (Hedrick).
Form: Roundish, slightly pyriform (Downing); globular, rarely regular, often mammillate at the top (Hedrick).
Stem: Short, stout.
Cavity: Not described in source.
Calyx: Not described in source.
Basin: Not described in source.
Skin: Dull greenish to olive-yellow, much shaded with thin brown russet and russet patches, covered largely with mottlings of brown.
Dots: Indistinct, gray, sprinkled (Hedrick).
Flesh and flavor: Greenish white, white-greenish or yellowish; fine to semi-fine, semi-melting, juicy ("juice sufficient"). Sweet, saccharine, vinous, perfumed, with a "delicate perfume". Quality "first" (Hedrick).
Core and seeds: Not described in source.
Season
December to March: December (Downing); February and March (Hedrick).
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 2 period pomological works
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 1 catalog (1900)
- Central Experimental Farm , Dominion Department of Agriculture, Agassiz, British Columbia (under test; Bulletin No. 3, Second Series) — 1900
View original book sources (2)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Prince Napoleon.
Introduced by M. Boisbunel, Rouen, France. Tree moderately vigorous and very productive. Young wood dull brown, slightly reddish.
Fruit medium, roundish, slightly pyriform, dull greenish, much shaded with thin brown russet, and russet patches. Stalk short, stout. Flesh greenish white, fine, juicy, sweet, perfumed. December. (Verg.)
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Prince Napoleon, i. Leroy Diet. Pom. 2:556, fig. 1869. 2. Downing Fr. Trees Am. 837. 1869.
Raised by M. Boisbunel, Rouen, Fr., from seed of the Passe Crassane in 1864. Fruit medium and sometimes above, globular, rarely regular and often mammillate at the top, olive-yellow, covered largely with mottlings of brown and sprinkled with indistinct gray dots; flesh white-greenish or yellowish, semi-fine, semi-melting; juice sufficient, saccharine, vinous, with a delicate perfume; first; Feb. and Mar.