Widow Pear

Pear

Widow Pear

Origin and History

Unknown origin.

Tree

Medium growth habit with pyramidal form. Branches are straight and well-spaced. Wood is short and stout. Very productive.

Fruit

Size and Form Medium size, regularly turbinate.

Stem Slender, obliquely inserted at the surface.

Skin Yellowish green, covered over approximately half of the surface with dark gray spots. The spotting becomes grayer on the sunny side. The color resembles that of Beurre d'Angleterre. Skin is thin.

Flesh and Flavor White, very melting, and buttery. Juice is abundant, slightly acidulous or vinous in flavor. Agreeably perfumed and highly flavored. A delicious, first-rate pear.

Cavity Not described in source.

Calyx and Basin Not described in source.

Core and Seeds Not described in source.

Season

End of September and October.

Uses

Dessert variety. Described as delicious and first-rate, with no equal in quality at its season.

Subtypes and Variants

Not described in source.

Book Sources

Described in 1 period pomological work

The Horticulturist (1855)

View original book sources (1)

II. WIDOW PEAR.—The trees of this variety are of medium growth, pyramidal shaped, straight branched the wood is short stout; very productive; fruit—of medium size, regularly turbinate; the stem is slender, and obliquely inserted at the surface; color—yellowish green, covered over about half of the surface with dark gray spots, grayer on the sunny side. It resembles the color of Beurre d'Angleterre; skin—thin; flesh—white, very melting, buttery; juice—abundant, slightly acidulous or vinous in flavor; agreeably perfumed and highly flavored. It is a delicious, first rate pear, and I do not know another equally good at this season, where we have so many kinds in ripening,—end of September and October. I do not know its origin.

— B. Desportes, The Horticulturist (1856)