Vauquelin

Pear

Vauquelin

Origin/History

Raised by M. Vauquelin of Rouen, France, from seed sown about 1816. The variety appears in the pomological literature under the alternate designation Saint-Germain Vauquelin (Leroy, Dict. Pom., 1869).

Tree

Vigorous grower, pyramidal in habit (Hedrick). Young wood reddish brown (Downing).

Fruit

Size and Form: Downing gives the size as medium; Hedrick as medium to above; Thomas as rather large. All sources agree the form is obovate-pyriform to oblong-obovate-pyriform. Hedrick notes the outline is undulating. Thomas describes the form simply as obovate.

Stem: Stout (Downing), inserted with little or no cavity and the base enlarged (Downing); Hedrick describes the stem as inserted without depression, consistent with Downing.

Cavity: Little or no cavity (Downing); without depression (Hedrick).

Calyx: Large and open (Hedrick). Not described by Downing or Thomas.

Basin: Not described in sources.

Skin: Downing describes the ground color as greenish, a little brownish in the sun; Hedrick gives the ground color as yellow, brownish next the sun. Both sources agree on patches and traces of russet and russet dots over the surface.

Flesh and Flavor: Flesh white (Hedrick) or whitish (Downing); very juicy. Downing characterizes it as melting, vinous, and astringent; Hedrick describes it as brisk; Thomas as sub-acid. Quality rated good by both Downing and Hedrick.

Core/Seeds: Not described in sources.

Season

December and January (Downing, Hedrick); winter (Thomas).

Uses

Not described in sources.

Subtypes/Variants

Not described in sources.

Book Sources

Described in 3 period pomological works

View original book sources (3)

Vauquelin.

Poire Vauquelin. Saint Germain Vauquelin.

A variety from Rouen, France. Tree a vigorous grower. Young wood reddish brown.

Fruit medium, obovate pyriform, sometimes oblong obovate pyriform. Skin greenish, a little brownish in the sun, some patches and traces of russet, and russet dots. Stalk stout, inserted with little or no cavity, and base enlarged. Flesh whitish, juicy, melting, vinous, astringent. Good. December, January.

— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)

Vauquelin.

Mag. Hort. 14:112. 1848.

Leroy Dict. Pom. 2:723, fig. 889. 1869. Saint-Germain Vauquelin.

Pom. France 2: No. 65, Pl. 65. 1864. Raised by M. Vauquelin, Rouen, Fr., from seed sown about 1816. Tree vigorous, pyramidal. Fruit medium to above, obovate-pyriform to oblong-obovate-pyriform, undulating in outline, yellow, brownish next the sun, with patches and traces of russet and russet dots; stem inserted without depression; calyx large, open; flesh white, very juicy, brisk; good; Dec. and Jan.

— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)

Vauquelin. Rather large, obovate; juicy, sub-acid. Winter.

— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)

Poire Vauquelin Saint Germain Vauquelin Saint-Germain Vauquelin