Wredow

Pear

Wredow

Origin / History

A pear of unknown origin. Elliott (1865) classes it as foreign; Downing calls it "probably French." Desportes described it in The Horticulturist in 1856 under the name "Wiedow Pear," writing, "I do not know its origin." Thomas (1903) also lists it.

Tree

Of medium growth (Desportes) to moderately vigorous (Elliott, Downing). Pyramidal in shape, straight-branched; wood short and stout (Desportes). Wood yellowish (Elliott); young wood dark olive (Downing). Very productive (Desportes, Downing).

Fruit

Size: Medium.

Form: Obovate pyriform to acute pyriform; regularly turbinate (Desportes). Elliott calls it oblong obovate; Thomas calls it oblate approaching pyriform.

Stem: Medium (Elliott) to long (Downing), slender, obliquely inserted, sometimes by a lip; "obliquely planted with lip one side" (Elliott).

Cavity: Downing places the stem in a small cavity; Desportes has it inserted at the surface.

Calyx: Small (Elliott); open, with segments recurved (Downing).

Basin: Not described in source.

Skin: Thin (Desportes). Greenish yellow to yellowish green, with russet. Downing describes a shade of crimson in the sun, with the skin netted and patched with rich golden russet. Desportes describes it as "covered over about half of the surface with dark gray spots, grayer on the sunny side," and says it "resembles the color of Beurre d'Angleterre."

Dots: Dotted with rich golden russet (Downing).

Flesh and flavor: Flesh white to whitish, juicy, melting to very melting, buttery. Juice abundant; flavor vinous, brisk, slightly acidulous, rich (Thomas), agreeably perfumed and highly flavored. Elliott rates it "very good" and Downing "good to very good." Desportes calls it "a delicious, first pear," and writes, "I do not know another equally good at this season, where we have so many kinds in ripening."

Core and seeds: Not described in source.

Season

End of September and October. Most authors give October; Downing alone gives September.

Uses

Not described in source.

Subtypes / Variants

Not described in source.

Other

Not described in source.

Book Sources

Described in 4 period pomological works

View original book sources (4)

II. Wiedow 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 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)

Widow. Wredow. Foreign. Tree, moderately vigorous; wood, yellowish. Fruit, medium, oblong obovate, acute pyriform, greenish yellow; stem, medium, obliquely planted with lip one side; calyx, small; flesh, white, juicy, vinous, perfumed; "very good." October.

— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)

Wredow.

This is of unknown origin, probably French. Tree moderately vigorous, very productive. Young wood dark olive.

Fruit medium, obovate pyriform. Skin greenish yellow, shade of crimson in the sun, netted, patched, and dotted with rich golden russet. Stalk long, slender, inserted in a small cavity, sometimes by a lip. Calyx open. Segments recurved. Flesh whitish, juicy, melting, brisk, vinous. Good to very good. September.

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

Wredow. Medium, oblate approaching pyriform, greenish-yellow and russet; juicy, melting, rich, vinous. October.

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

Carl Van Mons Leckerbissen Delices de Charles Van Mons Poire de la Veuve Veuve (P. de la) Widow Wiedow Pear Wredaw