Summer Bon Chrétien
Pear
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Summer Bon Chrétien
Origin/History
One of the oldest pears, having been cultivated for the last three centuries all over Europe (Downing). Formerly much valued as a variety, though Thomas (1903) notes it was by that time generally destroyed by black mildew in American cultivation.
Tree
Not described in sources.
Fruit
Size: Large.
Form: Irregularly bell-shaped or pyriform, with swollen, knobby sides (Downing); pyriform and ribbed (Thomas).
Stem: Not described in sources.
Cavity: Not described in sources.
Calyx: Not described in sources.
Basin: Not described in sources.
Skin: Yellow with an orange blush (Downing); rich yellow with a reddish cheek (Thomas).
Flesh/Flavor: Flesh yellowish, coarse-grained (Downing), and breaking in texture (Thomas). Very juicy (both sources). Flavor pleasant, rich, and sweet (Downing); sweet (Thomas). Quality rated Good (Downing).
Core/Seeds: Not described in sources.
Season
Last of August or early September (Downing); early September (Thomas).
Uses
Not described in sources.
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in sources.
Other
Black mildew is noted by Thomas (1903) as a severe problem for this variety in American cultivation, to the point of general destruction of plantings by the early twentieth century.
Book Sources
Described in 3 period pomological works
View original book sources (2)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Summer Bon Chrétien.
Bon Chrétien d'Été. Gratioli. Gratioli d'Été. Gratioli di Roma. Summer Good Christian. Musk Summer Bon Chrétien. Sommer Apothekerbirne. Sommer Gute Christenbirne. Die Sommer Christebirne. Large Sugar, of some. Gros Bon Chrétien. Beauclerc. Safran d'Été. Schelis. Gracioli rouge. Bon Chrétien d'Été Jaune. Canelle d'Été. De Duchesse. Gros Bon Chrétien d'Été. Bon Chrétien Gratioly. Gros Bon Chrétien Beauclerc. William Powell. Stuyvesant. Richards Beurré, of some. Endicott.
This is one of the oldest Pears, having been cultivated for the last three centuries all over Europe.
Fruit large, irregularly bell-shaped or pyriform, with swollen, knobby sides. Skin yellow, with an orange blush. Flesh yellowish, coarse-grained, very juicy, and of a pleasant, rich, sweet flavor. Good. Last of August, or early in September.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Summer Bon Chrétien. Large, pyriform, ribbed, rich yellow with a reddish cheek; breaking; very juicy, sweet. Formerly much valued, now generally destroyed by black mildew. Early September.