Tonneau
PearTonneau
Origin & History
This large cooking pear has been documented since at least 1768 in Duhamel's Traité des Arbres Fruitiers. The variety name derives from the French tonneau and the German Fassbirne (where fass is the German equivalent), both meaning "cask"—a term which describes the shape of this pear very well. Leroy and others have confused this variety with Uvedale St. Germain, but Hogg and Mas agree that the two are quite distinct.
Tree
Vigorous growth habit. Shoots upright. Leaves pubescent, light green; young leaves yellowish-green.
Fruit
Form and Size: Very large; oblong-ovate or cask-shaped.
Skin: Clear yellow.
Stalk: An inch long, straight, woody.
Cavity: Deep, irregular.
Calyx: Large, open.
Basin: Deep, wide.
Flesh: Very white, rather dry.
Flavor: Brisk.
Season & Storage
November to February.
Uses
More an ornament than a dessert fruit. A cooking pear.
Book Sources
Described in 1 period pomological work
View original book sources (1)
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Tonneau.
- Duhamel Trait. Arb. Fr. 2:237, Pl. LVIII, fig. 5. 1768.
- Hogg Fruit Man. 656. 1884. Fassbirne. 3. Christ Handb. 564. 1817.
This large cooking pear has been confused by Leroy and others with Uvedale St. Germain, but Hogg and Mas agree that the two are quite distinct. The French word tonneau and the German word fass are both translated "cask," a term which describes the shape of this pear very well. Tree vigorous; shoots upright; leaves pubescent, light green, young leaves yellowish-green. Fruit very large, oblong-ovate or cask-shaped; skin clear yellow; calyx large, open; basin deep, wide; stalk an inch long, straight, woody; cavity deep, irregular; flesh very white, rather dry; flavor brisk; more an ornament than a dessert fruit; Nov. to Feb.