Autumn 2024 planting seasonPre-order now for EU delivery December 2024 - March 2025

Fondante d'Automne pear trees

(Belle Lucrative, Seigneur Esperen)

Pyrus communis
Fondante d'Automne pears
Fondante d'Automne is listed in the RHS Plants for Pollinators
  • Picking season: Late
  • Self-fertility: Not self-fertile
  • Flowering group: 4

Fondante d'Automne is a traditional French late-season pear variety with a sugary sweet flavour, very typical of the dessert pears which became fashionable in Europe in the 1830s. It soon became popular in England and the Americas - it is described by the English fruit enthusiast Robert Hogg, writing in the 1880s as "a delicious autumn pear". 

The fruits are of medium size, usually covered with a light russet, and they have a fine-grained buttery flesh. 

For best results, as with most pears, pick the fruits before they are fully ripe on the tree and ripen in a fruit bowl.

Bio / Organic  fruit trees

Fondante d'Automne organic pear trees for sale


  • 1 yeartree on PyroDwarf rootstock24.25€
    Large tree (3m-5m after 10 years) Bare-root
    Sold-out

Contact us if you would like to go on the waiting list for next season.

EU delivery countries
  • Austria
  • Belgium
  • Croatia
  • Czech Republic
  • Denmark
  • Estonia
  • France
  • Germany
  • Ireland
  • Italy
  • Latvia
  • Lithuania
  • Luxembourg
  • Netherlands
  • Poland
  • Portugal
  • Slovakia
  • Spain
  • Sweden
  • Switzerland
Delivery chargesClick here to view estimated delivery charges.

Growing and Training

Although never really a commercial variety, Fondante d'Automne is widely grown throughout Europe, North America, and Australia and is suitable for both warm climates and cool temperate climates. It seems relatively untroubled by the usual pear diseases.


History

Fondante d'Automne was raised in the 1820s, either by Mr Fievee of Maubeuge in northern France or Major Esperen of Malines in Belgium. It is usually known as Belle Lucrative in the USA and Australia. In Europe it is sometimes known as Seigneur Esperen.


Fondante d'Automne characteristics

  • Gardening skillAverage
  • Self-fertilityNot self-fertile
  • Flowering group4
  • Picking seasonLate
  • Season of use2-3 weeks
  • Food usesEating fresh
  • Summer average maximum temperaturesWarm (25-30C / 76-85F)
  • Country of originBelgiumFrance
  • Period of origin1800 - 1849
  • Flesh colourWhite
  • Fruit colourGoldRussetYellow

Similar varieties

  • See also Clapp's Favorite
    Clapp's Favorite
    An attractive red-flushed early-season pear from the USA.
  • See also Conference
    Conference
    Conference is a popular and reliable English pear, well-suited to temperate climates in north-west Europe.
  • See also Cornelie
    Cornelie
    Cornelie is a traditional sweet buttery French dessert pear.
  • See also Deveci
    Deveci
    Deveci is a large late-season eating pear, originating from Turkey.