Duchesse d’Angoulême

‘Duchesse d’Angoulême’ is an old French variety once widely grown for the impressive size and good eating quality of its fruit.

The pear is large to exceptionally large, broad and generally knobbly. Its fairly thick skin is initially green, turning lemon yellow when ripe. It is dotted with russet and may develop a light pink blush on the side exposed to the sun.

The white flesh is firm when picked, then becomes moderately fine, melting and very juicy as it ripens. Its flavour is sweet, slightly acidic and delicately aromatic, with a few grit cells sometimes present around the core. Fruit quality is best in a warm, well-exposed position.

Harvest takes place in early October. The pears then continue to ripen in storage and are mainly eaten during November. They are suitable for eating fresh and can also be poached or used in cooking.

The tree is moderately vigorous, heavily branched and well suited to compact or trained forms. It has good compatibility with quince. However, its susceptibility to scab can become significant depending on the climate and disease pressure, so an open, well-exposed position is preferable.