Rousselet Dore d'Hiver
PearRousselet Dore d'Hiver
Origin & History
Origin unknown. The French pomologist Leroy at Angers possessed the variety circa 1845. First documented in Antoine Poiteau and Albert Leroy's Dictionnaire Pomologique (1869).
Fruit Description
Size: Below medium.
Form: Variable. Described as either turbinate (distinctly pear-shaped) and slightly obtuse, or turbinate and spherical. Characteristically asymmetrical—nearly always larger on one side than on the other.
Skin: Thick and rough-textured. Shining appearance. Ground color bright golden-russet, with scattered small brown and green spots distributed across the surface.
Flesh: Whitish. Fine-textured. Semi-melting. Juicy.
Flavor & Aroma: Saccharine (distinctly sweet). Vinous character (wine-like notes). Fairly well perfumed.
Quality: Second grade—a good dessert pear but not of the highest tier.
Season
Mature and suitable for use in February and March.
Source: U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921), citing Leroy, Dictionnaire Pomologique (1869).
Book Sources
Described in 1 period pomological work
View original book sources (1)
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Rousselet Dore d'Hiver. i. Leroy Diet. Pom. 2:590, fig. 1869. Origin unknown, though Leroy, Angers, Fr., possessed it about 1845. Fruit below medium, variable in form, turbinate, slightly obtuse, or turbinate and spherical and nearly always larger on one side than on the other; skin thick and rough, shining, some bright and golden-russet, some small, brown and green spots; flesh whitish, fine, semi-melting, juicy, saccharine, vinous, fairly well perfumed; second; Feb. and Mar.