Roslyn

Pear

Roslyn

Origin and History

A wilding (chance seedling) found on the property of W. C. Bryant at Roslyn, Long Island. First documented by Downing in 1869 (Fruits and Fruit Trees of America, p. 844), with the variety taking its name from the estate where it was discovered.

Tree

Vigorous. Young wood reddish yellow-brown.

Fruit

Size and Form: Medium. Downing describes the form as nearly globular; Hedrick similarly as almost spherical.

Stem: Long.

Calyx: Partially closed.

Skin: Yellow, netted, patched, and dotted with russet.

Flesh and Flavor: Whitish, melting, juicy, slightly vinous. Quality good to very good (Hedrick).

Season

End of August.

Note: Both sources derive from the same Downing description lineage; Hedrick (1921) cites Downing (1869) directly. Details unique to Downing — tree vigor, young wood color, stalk length, calyx closure — are not independently corroborated but are consistent with the original record. No storage, culinary use, or further pomological detail appears in either source.

Book Sources

Described in 2 period pomological works

View original book sources (2)

ROSLYN.

Found on the place of W. C. Bryant, of Roslyn, Long Island. Tree vigorous. Young wood reddish yellow brown.

Fruit medium, nearly globular. Skin yellow, netted, patched, and dotted with russet. Stalk long. Calyx partially closed. Flesh whitish, juicy, melting, slightly vinous. Last of August.

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

Roslyn. i. Downing Fr. Trees Am. 844. 1869. A wilding found on the land of W. C. Bryant, Roslyn, L. I. Fruit medium, almost spherical, yellow, netted, patched and dotted with russet; flesh whitish, melting, juicy, slightly vinous; good to very good; end of Aug.

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