Suzette de Bavay

Origin/History

Raised by Major Esperen of Mechlin (Malines), Belgium. According to the Herefordshire Pomona, it was raised in the early part of the nineteenth century (c. 1830–40) and named in compliment to Madame de Bavay, the wife of a nurseryman at Vilvorde, near Brussels. Hedrick records that it fruited first in 1843.

Tree

Vigorous and very productive. Elliott describes shoots as light greenish brown. The Herefordshire Pomona notes the tree makes a good pyramid and bears freely.

Fruit

Size: Small to medium. Downing describes it as small; Hedrick as small or medium; the Herefordshire Pomona and Elliott as medium.

Form: Sources differ somewhat. The Herefordshire Pomona describes it as turbinate. Downing describes it as roundish oblate. Hedrick describes it as globular, generally mammillate at the top. Elliott describes it as obovate pyriform.

Skin: Yellow to pale yellow, with russet markings and dots. The Herefordshire Pomona describes the skin as yellow, covered with numerous large russet dots and traces of russet. Downing describes it as yellowish, sprinkled with minute dots, and some traces of russet. Hedrick describes the skin as rough, pale yellow, dotted with greenish-brown and speckled with russet and reddish stains. Elliott describes it as dull yellow and russet.

Stem: About an inch long (Herefordshire Pomona), inserted in a small cavity. Downing describes the stalk as curved, inserted in a small cavity.

Cavity: Small.

Calyx: Open (Downing). The Herefordshire Pomona describes the eye as open.

Basin: Shallow and uneven. The Herefordshire Pomona describes it as a shallow, undulating basin. Downing describes it as shallow and uneven.

Flesh/Flavor: White to whitish, melting, juicy, and sweet. The Herefordshire Pomona describes the flesh as melting, juicy, sugary and vinous, with a pleasant perfume. Downing describes it as whitish, melting, sweet, and pleasant, rating it "Good" and noting it is only valuable for cooking. Hedrick describes the flesh as white, semi-fine, melting or semi-melting, juicy, almost free from grit; juice abundant, saccharine, acidulous, more or less perfumed with anis. Elliott describes the flesh as melting and juicy, rating it "very good."

Core/Seeds: Not described in source.

Season

A long-season, late pear. The Herefordshire Pomona gives January and February, noting it is valuable from its lateness. Downing gives January to March. Hedrick gives January to April. Elliott gives February and March.

Uses

Downing states it is only valuable for cooking. No other source restricts its use.

Subtypes/Variants

Not described in source.

Other

Not described in source.