Rousselet Vanderwecken
PearOrigin/History
Raised by M. Grégoire, of Jodoigne, Belgium. First described in Annales de Pomologie Belge (vol. 3, p. 41, fig., 1855).
Tree
Pyramidal, of medium to good vigor, very productive. Downing and Elliott describe "medium vigor," while Hedrick describes "good vigor."
Fruit
Size: Small.
Form: Varying in form from Doyenné to Bergamotte (Downing, Elliott). Hedrick describes it as turbinate to ovoid. Thomas describes it as roundish or obovate.
Stem: Short, curved, rather thick (Hedrick).
Cavity: Not described in source.
Calyx: Large for the size of the fruit, open (Hedrick).
Basin: Not described in source.
Skin: Yellow at time of maturity.
Flesh/Flavor: Flesh white, fine, melting. Juice abundant, very sugary, and strongly aromatic, like that of the Rousselet (Downing, Elliott). Hedrick describes it as very juicy, very sweet, musky, and strongly aromatic. Thomas adds "perfumed." Quality rated first (Hedrick) and "quite of first quality" (Downing, Elliott); Thomas rates it "very good."
Core/Seeds: Not described in source.
Season
Ripe first of November.
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 4 period pomological works
View original book sources (4)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Rousselet Vandeuwecken.
Raised by M. Gregoire, of Jodoigne, Belgium. A pyramidal tree of medium vigor, but very productive.
Fruit small, varying in form from Doyenne to Bergamotte. Skin yellow at time of maturity. Flesh white, fine, melting, juice abundant, sugary, and strongly aromatic, like that of the Rousselet. Fruit quite of first quality, and ripe first of November. (An. Pom.)
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Rousselet Vanderwecken.
- Ann. Pom. Belge 3:41, fig. 1855.
Raised by M. Grégoire, Jodoigne, Bel.
Tree pyramidal, of good vigor, very productive.
Fruit small, turbinate to ovoid, yellow; stem short, curved, rather thick; calyx large for the size of the fruit, open; flesh white, fine, melting, very juicy, very sweet, musky, strongly aromatic; first; Nov.
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Rousselet Vanderwecken.
A pyramidal tree, of medium vigor, but very productive. Fruit, small, varying in form from Doyenne to Bergamotte ; skin, yellow at time of maturity ; flesh, white, fine, melting ; juice, abundant, sugary, and strongly aromatic, like that of the Rousselet ; fruit, quite of first quality, and ripe first of November. (An. Pom.)
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Rousselet Vanderwecken. Small, roundish or obovate, yellow; juicy, aromatic, perfumed; very good. November.