Rostiezer
Pear
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Origin/History
The origin of the Rostiezer is uncertain. It is undoubtedly a German or foreign pear, received from the nurseries of Messrs. Baumann, of Bollwiller (Bollweiler), Alsace, on the Rhine — their collection containing several other varieties whose names are confined to their catalogue. It was imported by R. Manning, Salem, Massachusetts, in 1834 or 1835, and first fruited in 1837 or 1838. Manning briefly described it in the Book of Fruits (1st series, 1838, No. 23), and subsequently gave a further account of it in the Magazine of Horticulture (vol. vi. p. 89). From specimens received from Manning in 1840, C.M. Hovey fully described it in the same work (vol. ix. p. 135), accompanied with a correct outline engraving. Since then it has been considerably disseminated, but according to Hovey, its merits did not appear to have been fully appreciated until the last four or five years before 1852. It was often called Early Seckel in the west (Hedrick). As a summer or early autumn pear, it is scarcely equalled in its spicy and luscious flavor, partaking much of the character of the Seckel. Like the Seckel, it is a small and somewhat indifferent looking fruit, but from its other fine qualities holds the highest rank among the choicest pears. Downing noted that in flavor it is only equalled by the Seckel, which ripens six weeks later.
Tree
The tree is vigorous, healthy, and strong in growth, an early and most profuse bearer. Elliott notes it succeeds on quince; Hovey confirms it succeeds well upon the quince or pear stock, and usually bears the fourth or fifth year, the fruit being produced in clusters.
Downing observes that the young trees produce but few shoots of strong growth, and require severe shortening to bring them into a fine symmetric form. Elliott describes the tree as a strong, upright grower with large foliage and dark olive-colored wood; an early, free, abundant bearer.
Hovey provides the most detailed account of habit: vigorous, of erect growth while young, but assuming in a few years an irregular, spreading, and partially drooping habit.
Wood. Dark olive brown (Downing). Clear reddish brown, dotted with russet specks, strong, stout, and short-jointed; old wood slightly rough, dull reddish brown, with prominent whitish specks (Hovey). Thomas describes the shoots as dark and large.
Buds. Medium size, shortly pointed, diverging, with rather prominent shoulders; flower-buds medium size (Hovey).
Leaves. Medium size, roundish ovate, generally broadest near the middle and tapering to each end; thick, dull dark green, somewhat incurved at the edges, and finely but rather obtusely serrated; petioles moderately stout, about one and a half inches long (Hovey). Thomas notes leaves broad.
Flowers. Medium size; petals cupped (Hovey).
Fruit
Size. Medium or below medium; scarcely medium in size and rather small — scarcely as large as the Madeleine (Hovey). Thomas says rather small, sometimes medium in size. In large specimens, about two inches long and one and three quarter inches in diameter (Hovey).
Form. Obovate oblong pyriform (Downing). Pyriform, regular in form (Hedrick). Regular, pyramidal, full at the crown, tapering regularly to a point at the stem (Hovey). Obovate pyriform (Elliott). Conic-pyriform, approaching obovate, nearly Madeleine-shaped, regular (Thomas).
Skin. Dull yellow green, mixed with reddish brown on the sunny side (Downing). Grass-green on the shaded side, reddish on the exposed face and sprinkled with small gray dots (Hedrick). Slightly rough, dull russety green, broadly tinged with dull red, somewhat russeted on the sunny side, and covered with dark greenish specks (Hovey). Dull green, reddish brown cheek in sun, whitish specks, and traces of thin russet (Elliott). Dull brownish green, with a dark, dull, reddish brown cheek to the sun, with whitish specks, and traces of thin russet (Thomas).
Stem. Long and slender, curved, and inserted with very little depression (Downing). Very long, about one and a half inches, slender, slightly knobby, and obliquely inserted on one side, with a slight cavity beneath (Hovey). Long, slender, without depression (Elliott). An inch and a half to two inches long, slender, scarcely sunk (Thomas).
Cavity. Very little depression at stem insertion (Downing). A slight cavity beneath the obliquely inserted stem (Hovey). Without depression (Elliott). Scarcely sunk (Thomas).
Calyx. Open, persistent (Downing). Rather large, open, scarcely depressed, surrounded with uneven angles or projections; segments of the calyx short (Hovey). Medium, open (Elliott).
Basin. Small and corrugated (Downing). Scarcely depressed, surrounded with uneven angles or projections (Hovey). Very shallow (Elliott). Little or none (Thomas).
Flesh/Flavor. Juicy, melting, somewhat buttery, exceedingly sugary, vinous, aromatic, and pleasantly perfumed (Downing). Greenish-white, fine, melting, rather granular below the core; juice very abundant, vinous, acidulous, very saccharine, with a most delicate flavor (Hedrick). Rather coarse, yellowish, very melting and juicy; flavor rich, sugary and sprightly, with a delicious spicy perfume (Hovey). Juicy, melting, sweet, perfumed (Elliott). Juicy, melting, sweet, with a very high, perfumed flavor, of high excellence; for rich flavor, it has scarcely an equal among summer pears (Thomas).
Hedrick's description of the flesh as "rather granular below the core" contrasts with Hovey's "rather coarse" — both noting some textural variation from the otherwise melting character. Hedrick uniquely notes an acidulous quality alongside the saccharine sweetness, while other sources emphasize pure sweetness and sugar.
Core/Seeds. Core small (Hovey, Elliott). Seeds small, pale brown (Hovey). Seeds ovate pointed (Elliott).
Season
Middle of August to middle of September (Downing). Last of August (Hedrick, Elliott). Last of August and beginning of September (Hovey). Ripens late in summer (Thomas).
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Downing rates the fruit "Best." Hedrick rates it "first." Hovey places it in the highest rank among the choicest pears and notes that the list of first-rate early pears is extremely limited, but with additions such as the Rostiezer and Tyson, the season between the ripening of the Madeleine or the Doyenne d'Été and the Williams's Bon Chrétien would be well supplied with some of the richest pears. Thomas calls it of high excellence and states that for rich flavor it has scarcely an equal among summer pears.
Book Sources
Described in 5 period pomological works
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 2 catalogs (1864–1894) from Oregon
- St. Helena Nursery , Howell's Prairie, Marion County , Oregon — 1864
- Woodburn Nurseries , Woodburn, Marion Co. , Oregon — 1894
View original book sources (5)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)ROSTIEZEK.
A foreign variety, which is scarcely medium in size and has not generally much beauty of color, yet combines an assemblage of excellences that places it in the rank before any other of its season. The young trees produce but few shoots of strong growth, and require severe shortening to bring them into a fine symmetric form. The color of the young wood is dark olive brown. It is healthy and vigorous in its habit, an early and most profuse bearer, and in flavor is only equalled by the Seckel, which ripens six weeks later.
Fruit medium or below, obovate oblong pyriform. Skin dull yellow green, mixed with reddish brown on the sunny side. Stalk long and slender, curved, and inserted with very little depression. Calyx open, persistent. Basin small and corrugated. Flesh juicy, melting, somewhat buttery, exceedingly sugary, vinous, aromatic, and pleasantly perfumed. Best. Middle of August to middle of September.
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Rostiezer.
i. Manning Book of Fruits 72. 1838. Origin uncertain. It was, however, received from A. N. Baumann, Bollweiler, Alsace, by R. Manning, Salem, Mass., in 1834 or 1835. Often called Early Seckel in the west. Fruit medium or below, pyriform, regular in form, grass-green on the shaded side, reddish on the exposed face and sprinkled with small gray dots; flesh greenish-white, fine, melting, rather granular below the core; juice very abundant, vinous, acidulous, very saccharine, with a most delicate flavor; first; last of Aug.
— C.M. Hovey, The Fruits of America (1852)THE ROSTIEZER PEAR.
Rostiezer. Manning's Book of Fruits, 1st series, 1838, No. 23.
The late Mr. Manning introduced this fine pear to the notice of cultivators. It was one among a number of new varieties obtained from France, and he briefly described it in the Book of Fruits, as above quoted. Subsequently, and after further trial, he gave an account of it in the Magazine of Horticulture, (vol. vi. p. 89,) and, from specimens received from him in 1840, we fully described it in the same work, (vol. ix. p. 135,) accompanied with a correct outline engraving, which we have now reproduced. As a summer or early autumn pear, it is scarcely equalled in its spicy and luscious flavor, partaking much of the character of the Seckel. Like the latter variety, it is a small and somewhat indifferent looking fruit, but, from its other fine qualities, holding the highest rank among the choicest pears.
The origin of the Rostiezer is unknown. It was received from the nurseries of Messrs. Baumann, of Bollwiller, on the Rhine, and it is undoubtedly a German pear, introduced by them, — as their collection contains several other varieties whose names are confined to their catalogue. Mr. Manning imported it in 1834 or '35, and it first fruited in 1837 or '38. Since then, it has been considerably disseminated, but its merits do not appear to have been fully appreciated until the last four or five years. The list of first-rate early pears is extremely limited, but, with a few such additions as the Rostiezer and Tyson, the season, between the ripening of the Madeleine, or the Doyenne d'Ete and the Williams's Bon Chretien, would be well supplied with some of the richest pears.
The Rostiezer, we have already remarked, is a rather small pear, being scarcely as large as the Madeleine. The tree, however, is an abundant bearer, the fruit being produced in clusters. It is of vigorous, strong, and healthy growth, but with a spreading and irregular habit, and usually bears the fourth or fifth year. It succeeds well upon the quince or pear stock.
Tree. — Vigorous, of erect growth while young, but assuming, in a few years, an irregular, spreading, and partially drooping habit. Our engraving is from a tree in Mr. Manning's collection, in full bearing, eight or nine years old.
Wood. — Clear reddish brown, dotted with russet specks, strong, stout, and short-jointed; old wood slightly rough, dull reddish brown, with prominent whitish specks; buds medium size, shortly pointed, diverging, with rather prominent shoulders: Flower-buds medium size.
Leaves. — Medium size, roundish ovate, generally broadest near the middle, and tapering to each end; thick, dull dark green, somewhat incurved at the edges, and finely but rather obtusely serrated; petioles moderately stout, about one and a half inches long.
Flowers. — Medium size; petals cupped.
Fruit. — Medium size; in large specimens, about two inches long, and one and three quarter inches in diameter: Form, regular, pyramidal, full at the crown, tapering regularly to a point at the stem: Skin, slightly rough, dull russety green, broadly tinged with dull red, somewhat russeted on the sunny side, and covered with dark greenish specks: Stem, very long, about one and a half inches, slender, slightly knobby, and obliquely inserted on one side, with a slight cavity beneath: Eye, rather large, open, scarcely depressed, surrounded with uneven angles or projections; segments of the calyx short: Flesh, rather coarse, yellowish, very melting and juicy: Flavor, rich, sugary and sprightly, with a delicious spicy perfume: Core, small: Seeds, small, pale brown.
Ripe the last of August and beginning of September.
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)ROSTIEZER.
Foreign. Tree, strong, upright grower, large foliage, dark olive-colored wood ; an early, free, abundant bearer ; succeeds on Quince.
Fruit, below medium, obovate pyriform : color, dull green, reddish brown cheek in sun : whitish specks, and traces of thin russet : stem, long, slender, without depression; calyx, medium, open; basin, very shallow; core, small ; seeds, ovate pointed ; flesh, juicy, melting, sweet, perfumed. Last of August.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Rostiezer.*
Rather small, sometimes medium in size; conic-pyriform, approaching obovate, nearly Madeleine-shaped, regular; skin dull brownish green, with a dark, dull, reddish brown cheek to the sun, with whitish specks, and traces of thin russet; stalk an inch and a half to two inches long, slender, scarcely sunk; basin little or none; flesh juicy, melting, sweet, with a very high, perfumed flavor, of high excellence. Ripens late in summer. For rich flavor, it has scarcely an equal among summer pears. Shoots dark, large, leaves broad. Fig. 690. Europe.