A popular late-season 19th century English pear.
Pitmaston Duchess pear identification images
All images copyright Orange Pippin unless otherwise stated.
USDA identification images for Pitmaston Duchess
The identification paintings in the USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection span the years 1886 to 1942.
Citation: U.S. Department of Agriculture Pomological Watercolor Collection. Rare and Special Collections, National Agricultural Library, Beltsville, MD 20705.
Parents and other ancestors of this variety
- Glou Morçeau (parent)
Visitor reviews
- 04 Oct 2018 HEERS, BelgiumI taste it in Belgium on 31/10/2018. I was very positively surprised by the taste. It was exceptionally good, probably because we had an exceptionally warm summer.
Tree register
We don't have any registered trees for this variety yet. If you have a Pitmaston Duchess tree you can register it here.
Origins
- Species: Pyrus communis - Pear
- Parentage: Duchess d'Angouleme x Glou Morceau
- Originates from: Pitmaston, Worcestershire, England, United Kingdom
- Introduced: 1841
- Developed by: John Williams of Pitmaston, Worcestershire.
- UK National Fruit Collection accession: 1978-325
Identification
- Country of origin: United Kingdom
- Period of origin: 1800 - 1849
- Fruit colour: Green / Yellow
- Fruit colour: Russet
- Flower colour: White
- Leaf colour: Green
- Annual cycle: Deciduous
- Flowering duration: Average (2-3 weeks)
- Flesh colour: Cream
- Fruit size: Very large
- Awards: RHS AGM (former) 1993
Using
- Picking season: Late
- Keeping (of fruit): 2-3 weeks
- Flavour quality: Very good
- Cropping: Light
- Food uses: Eating fresh
- Food uses: Culinary
- Food uses: Dual purpose
- Picking month: October
- Picking period: early October
- Picking period: mid-October
- Wildlife: RHS Plants for Pollinators
Growing
- Gardening skill: Average
- Flowering group: 4
- Pollinating others: Poor
- Ploidy: Triploid
- Vigour: Vigorous
- Bearing regularity: Regular
- Fruit bearing: Spur-bearer
- Attractive features: Attractive flowers
- Self-fertility: Not self-fertile
- Growth habit: Upright-spreading / Vase
Climate
- Summer average maximum temperatures: Cool ( 20-24C / 68-75F)
- Summer average maximum temperatures: Warm (25-30C / 76-85F)
- Cold hardiness (RHS): H6 (to -20C)
Other qualities
- Disease resistance: Average
Where to buy fresh fruit
No orchards have registered as growing this variety. If you grow this and want to register please go to our Orchard Registration form.
References
- The Book of Pears (2015)
Author: Morgan
244 - The Fruit Manual
Author: Hogg