Family Tree - Conference, Doyenné du Comice, Williams' Bon Chrétien

The Family Pear tree has three varieties grafted onto one stem. These varieties are selected so they cross-pollinate well and offer a delicious choice of fruit.

Conference

This is one of the most consistent varieties and a firm garden favourite with good self-fertility. Heavy crops of medium sized yellowish-green fruits with brown russet over areas, occasionally pink flushed on chalk soil. Flesh is pale yellow with a slight pinkish tinge towards the core. Sweet and juicy, melting with a pleasant pear flavour. The most popular variety that's commercially grown on a wide scale throughout the UK and other countries. Raised by Rivers of Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire during the 19th Century, it is thought to be a seedling of Can Mons Leon Leclerc. Exhibited at the National British Conference of 1885 which is the event which gave the variety its name. Conference pear has received an Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society.

Doyenné du Comice

A French pear, grown from seed in the fruit garden of the Horticultural Society of Maine et Loire and first fruiting in 1849. It reached England in 1858 and soon became very popular for its delicious flavour and juicy texture. The medium/large golden yellow fruit is flushed red. It is best planted in a warm site if it is to fruit well. Fruit keeps until November/December. Crops are not always regular.

Williams’ Bon Chrétien

Bon Chrétien pears were known by the Romans, and in the 16th century were considered the best pear of all. The name is derived from ‘good christian’ and the various Bon Chrétien pears were often called that in England. Williams’ Bon Chrétien was raised by Dr John Stair, a schoolmaster at Aldermaston, near Reading in 1770 and introduced by a nurseryman called Williams. In 1797 it was taken to America and planted on the estate of Thomas Brewer. In 1817 Brewer's estate was taken over by Enoch Bartlett, who named the tree after himself, having forgotten the true name. In America it is still known as the Bartlett Pear. It is sweet, juicy and very soft when ripe, with a musky flavour. It does not store. It will grow passably well on a north wall and crops regularly.