Supreme de Quimper
PearSupreme de Quimper
Origin/History
Of Belgian origin. (Downing)
Tree
The tree is erect in habit. Vigor is described as moderately vigorous (Downing) or strong (Elliott). Wood is described as olive yellow brown and very short-jointed in young growth (Downing), or brownish-olive (Elliott); Thomas describes the shoots as dark purple and rather erect — conflicting with the olive-brown wood color given by both other sources. Productive. (Downing)
Fruit
Size and Form: Medium in size (Downing, Elliott), or medium to small (Thomas). Form is described as roundish and slightly pyriform (Downing), roundish obovate (Elliott), or conic-obovate (Thomas).
Stem: Rather short (Downing, Elliott, Thomas), stout (Elliott), obliquely inserted or set (Downing, Thomas). Not sunk into a cavity; Downing notes only a slight appearance of a lip at the insertion point.
Cavity: Absent; stem inserted without cavity (Downing, Thomas).
Calyx: Open or partially closed (Downing); partly open, segments short, calyx medium in size (Elliott); partly open (Thomas).
Basin: Shallow (Downing, Thomas).
Skin: Fine (Downing). Ground color clear yellow (Downing) or lemon yellow (Elliott), richly shaded with red on the sun-exposed side (Downing, Elliott, Thomas). Surface somewhat specked and netted with russet (Downing); Elliott describes russet specks without the netting.
Flesh and Flavor: Flesh whitish (Downing) or yellowish white (Elliott). Juicy and melting (Downing, Thomas); Elliott describes the texture as coarse — conflicting with the melting quality given by the other two sources. Sweet (Downing), sugary (Elliott). Perfumed (Downing, Elliott, Thomas). Quality rated good to very good (Downing).
Core and Seeds: Core medium (Elliott). Seeds pale brown (Elliott).
Season
Ripens early in August, at or before the first of the month (Downing, Thomas, Elliott). Must be gathered very early, as the fruit becomes dry if left on the tree too long (Downing, Thomas).
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 3 period pomological works
View original book sources (3)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Supreme de Quimper.
This nice little Pear is of Belgian origin. Tree moderately vigorous, upright and productive. Young wood olive yellow brown, very short-jointed.
Fruit medium, roundish, slightly pyriform. Skin fine, clear yellow, richly shaded with red, somewhat specked and netted with russet. Stalk rather short, obliquely inserted, without cavity, by a slight appearance of a lip. Calyx open or partially closed. Basin shallow. Flesh whitish, juicy, melting, sweet and perfumed. Good to very good. Ripe early in August. Should be gathered very early, or it becomes dry.
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Supreme De Quimper.
Foreign, Tree, strong, erect grower ; wood, brownish-olive. Fruit, medium, roundish obovate, lemon yellow, red in sun, and russet specks ; stem, short, stout; calyx, medium, partly open, segments, short; flesh, yellowish white, coarse, sugary, perfumed ; core, medium ; seeds, pale brown. August.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Supreme de Quimper. Medium or small, conic-obovate; yellow, shaded with red; stalk short, obliquely set, not sunk; calyx partly open; basin shallow; juicy, melting, perfumed. First of August. Becomes dry if not picked early. Shoots dark purple, rather erect.