St. Michel Archange
PearSt. Michel Archange
Origin/History
A French pear originating in the neighborhood of Nantes, in the middle of the nineteenth century. It is also known in pomological literature as the Plombgastel. Recorded in Pomologie de la France (vol. 1, No. 41, Pl. 41, 1863) and in Hogg's Fruit Manual (p. 324, 1866).
Tree
Shoots greenish, quite erect. Leaves narrow, light green. A tardy bearer. (Thomas; Hedrick provides no tree description.)
Fruit
Size and Form: Medium or rather large (Hedrick), or rather large (Thomas). Form turbinate but irregular, sometimes obovate, sometimes long-pyriform (Hedrick); described by Thomas as pyramidal-pyriform.
Stem: Medium length, stout, fleshy at insertion, not sunk into a cavity. (Thomas; Hedrick provides no stem description.)
Cavity: Not sunken at the stem insertion. (Thomas.)
Calyx and Basin: Calyx closed. Basin small, uneven. (Thomas; Hedrick provides no calyx or basin description.)
Skin: Fine, smooth, greenish-yellow (Hedrick) — or greenish yellow (Thomas). Much dotted with gray-russet (Hedrick); described by Thomas as thickly dotted and partly russeted. Hedrick additionally notes the side exposed to the sun is washed with orange-red.
Flesh and Flavor: The two sources conflict on texture. Hedrick describes the flesh as yellow-white, fine, melting, very juicy, tender, and agreeably perfumed, rating it very good. Thomas describes the flesh as rather coarse, juicy, rich, and aromatic. Both agree the fruit is juicy and aromatic/perfumed.
Core and Seeds: Not described in either source.
Season
September and October (Hedrick); October (Thomas).
Uses
Not described in either source.
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in either source.
Other
Not described in either source.
Book Sources
Described in 2 period pomological works
View original book sources (2)
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)St. Michel Archange.
- Pom. France 1:No. 41, Pl. 41. 1863.
- Hogg Fruit Man. 324. 1866.
A French pear originated in the neighborhood of Nantes in the middle of the last century. Fruit medium or rather large, turbinate but irregular in form, sometimes obovate, sometimes long-pyriform; skin fine, smooth, greenish-yellow, much dotted with gray-russet, washed with orange-red on the side next the sun; flesh yellow-white, fine, melting, very juicy, tender, agreeably perfumed; very good; Sept. and Oct.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)St. Michel Archange.* (Plombgastel.) Rather large, pyramidal-pyriform, greenish yellow, thickly dotted, partly russeted; stalk medium length, stout, fleshy at insertion, not sunk; calyx closed, basin small, uneven; flesh rather coarse, juicy, rich, aromatic. October. Shoots greenish, quite erect, leaves narrow, light green. Tardy bearer.