Professeur Hennau

Pear

Professeur Hennau

Origin/History

Obtained from seed by M. Xavier Grégoire, a tanner at Jodoigne, Belgium. The variety first fruited in 1860 and was documented in the Annales de Pomologie Belge (8:77, fig. 1860). Downing describes it as a new Flemish pear.

Tree

Vigorous and productive (Downing). No further tree characteristics described in sources.

Fruit

Size and Form: Above medium in size. Ovate pyriform in general outline (Downing); Hedrick describes it as ovate, more or less irregular, swelled and bossed, often a little contorted in its lower part.

Stem: Very short, inserted obliquely or inclined, with a ring or lip at its base (Downing). Not further described in Hedrick.

Cavity: Not described in sources.

Calyx: Not described in sources.

Basin: Not described in sources.

Skin: The two sources give partially differing accounts. Downing describes the skin as yellowish, mostly covered with warm reddish brown on the sun-exposed side, and dotted with numerous small and large dots. Hedrick describes it as olive-yellow dotted with ashen gray, veined or speckled with fawn, and washed with golden russet on the cheek exposed to the sun.

Flesh and Flavor: Flesh is white in both accounts. The sources diverge on texture and flavor: Downing characterizes it as half fine, melting, juicy, and sweet; Hedrick calls it rather coarse, semi-melting, watery, and very granular around the center. Hedrick describes the juice as abundant, saccharine, and tartish, with a delicate though slight perfume. Hedrick rates it second quality.

Core/Seeds: Not described in sources.

Season

The sources disagree on ripening time: Downing gives December; Hedrick gives November.

Uses

Not described in sources.

Subtypes/Variants

Not described in sources.

Book Sources

Described in 2 period pomological works

View original book sources (2)

Professeur Hennau.

A new Flemish Pear. Tree vigorous and productive.

Fruit medium or above, ovate pyriform. Skin yellowish, mostly covered with warm reddish brown in sun, and dotted with numerous small and large dots. Stalk very short, inserted, inclined, with a ring or lip. Flesh white, half fine, melting, juicy, sweet. December. (An. Pom.)

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

Professeur Hennau.

i. Ann. Pom. Beige 8:77, fig. 1860.

M. Xavier Grégoire, a tanner at Jodoigne, Bel., obtained this variety from seed. Fruited in 1860. Fruit above medium, ovate, more or less irregular, swelled and bossed, often a little contorted in its lower part, olive-yellow dotted with ashen gray, veined or speckled with fawn and washed with golden russet on the cheek exposed to the sun; flesh white, rather coarse, semi-melting, watery, very granular around the center; juice abundant, saccharine, tartish, delicate although slight perfume; second; Nov.

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