Wellington
PearWellington Pear
Origin and History
This variety was imported from France about 1854 as a seedling by A. Wellington of Braintree, Massachusetts. It was exhibited before the Massachusetts Horticultural Society in 1864. The nomenclatural history is somewhat confused: in 1852 there was an exhibition of "Wellington, (two varieties)" before the Massachusetts Horticultural Society; a description appeared in the Magazine of Horticulture in the following year; and in 1854 the American Pomological Society included a variety of similar name in its list of rejected fruits. The pear herein described is the variety now known as Wellington.
Tree
Not described in source.
Fruit
Size and form: Large, similar in shape to Beurre d'Anjou but longer.
Skin: Yellow, clouded with green.
Stem and cavity: Stem very short, set in a slight cavity.
Calyx and basin: Calyx small, open, with short, stiff, slightly incurved lobes; basin shallow.
Flesh and flavor: Yellowish-white, somewhat coarse, juicy, melting, sweet, with a peculiar "confectionery" flavor or aroma.
Core and seeds: Not described in source.
Season
November.
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes and Variants
Historical records suggest possible confusion with other Wellington varieties, though the variety described here is the one established as Wellington in contemporary pomological practice.
Book Sources
Described in 1 period pomological work
View original book sources (1)
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Wellington.
- Mass. Hort. Soc. Rpt. 43. 1864. 2. Downing Fr. Trees Am. 879. 1869.
This, with other seedlings, was imported from France about 1854 by A. Wellington, Braintree, Mass. It was exhibited before the Massachusetts Horticultural Society in 1864. It may be that there is a second Wellington pear, or even a third, for in 1852 there was exhibited before the Massachusetts Horticultural Society "Wellington, (two varieties)." A description of a Wellington pear is given in the Magazine of Horticulture of the following year, while in 1854 the American Pomological Society included a variety of similar name in its list of rejected fruits. At all events, the pear herein described is the one now known as Wellington.
Fruit large, similar in shape to Beurre d'Anjou, but longer, yellow, clouded with green; calyx small, open, with short, stiff, slightly incurved lobes, basin shallow; stem very short, set in a slight cavity; flesh yellowish-white, somewhat coarse, juicy, melting, sweet, with a peculiar "confectionery" flavor or aroma; Nov.