Beurre Alexander Lucas pear

Hi,

This seems like a very interesting pear and does anyone out there grow it?

  • **[Beurré Alexandre Lucas (3x) = PI 541132
  • Traits: QUINCE COMPATIBLE, POLYPLOID (3x flow cytometry 2008), HEIRLOOM, LATE RIPE (WINTER PEAR), FIRE BLIGHT RESISTANT
    per USDA GRIN
    “Originated as a chance seedling in the Department of Loire et Cher, France, 1866. Fruit resembles that of Buerre d’Anjou in size and form. Skin smooth, quite free of blemish, green-yellow with green dots, quite attractive. Flesh white, medium fine, buttery, juicy. Sweet with pleasing flavor, equal or superior to Buerre d’Anjou in dessert quality. Apparently keeps as long as Anjou in cold storage, ripens easily and retains it’s quality for some time afterwards. Somewhat softer than Anjou in texture and more susceptible to pressure bruises. Tree moderately vigorous, clean, and productive. Semi-dwarf on quince. Moderately susceptible to blight. – H. Hartman, Oregon Agricultural Experiment Station, 1957.”

image

It is listed among the “most fire blight resistant” per a USDA fire blight presentation from 2013
https://shaponline.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/New-Fire-Blight-Resistant-Pear-Cultivars-MAFVC-2013.pdf page 3
However, from the GRIN Narrative “it is moderately susceptible to fireblight.” GRIN also lists its Quality as a 7 (high) on the observation page

It seems very interesting a fire blight Anjou-type dessert pear that is softer than Anjou (which I prefer) with “equal or superior quality”

I guess the only way to know if to try it and I will but curious if anyone is growing it now

Thanks

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I don’t know anything about it, but our pear expert @clarkinks could maybe comment.

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The Book of Pears does not mention anything about disease resistance in Alexander Lucas. It does say, however, that it is very prone to internal rot.

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Beurré Alexandre Lucas. 1. Le Bon Jard. 358. 1882. 2. Jour. Hort. 18:216. 1889.
The parent tree was a wilding found in 1836 in a wood of the Department of Loir-et-Cher, Fr., and in foliage and growth much resembles Doyenné Boussock. Fruit large to very large, handsome, pyriform, clear green, dotted with maroon or chestnut-colored spots; flesh fine, melting, perfumed, juicy, in flavor superior perhaps to Doyenné Boussock; first; Nov. to Jan.

@subdood_ky_z6b @rubus_chief

This is not a pear i grow but it is well known as a high quality pear. Any pear that starts with the word beurre in it means buttery. Many of these european pears i research here
https://pomologie.com/poire/poire1/datapoir/europe.html

Sometimes we document these rare pears here Question the History of a pear or know some history? Post it here! but with thousands of pears out there we can’t track them all. Check this link for the extended list LESCRETS FRUITS ET POMOLOGIE LISTE des variétés de poires existantes

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I have an Alexander Lucas tree, but it is only two years in ground and hasn’t fruited yet. Originally I planted it because I tasted it in my ex—employers orchard and was very pleased with it. It is a very smooth, buttery pear. What impressed me as well was the big fruits. In his orchard they got significantly bigger than Bartlett. Since they are quite bulky as well, the impression is of a very big pear.

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image

this is from a Czech study in 2012 and probably why USDA added Alexander Lucas to the “most resistant fire blight group” in 2013

so a FB moderately resistant softer Anjou-type dessert pear with better quality. I am sold and will try Alexander Lucas.

Thanks @Oepfeli for the feedback

Beurre Hardy also showing some FB resistance here as well; mS=“moderately susceptible” but it was more resistant than El Dorado and much more so than Bosc and Red Bartlett. Another buttery variety to consider.

Thanks

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@rubus_chief

Did you find alexander lucas pear? Ars grin had it listed as PI 541132. Think they pulled it from their catalog.

"

beuall

A crisp and juicy pear. Sweet but with a hint of acidity.

Origin: ,

Pollination: Beurre Alexandre Lucas is a self-sterile triploid and would require a pollinator to produce a crop. (Pollination partners for Beurre Alexandre Lucas)

Small to medium sized, round conical fruit. Green skin turning greenish yellow when ripe. A little russeting. Slightly gritty, crisp and juicy white flesh. Good flavour. Sweet with a hint of acidity.

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Found a bronze version exists as well LESCRETS FRUITS ET POMOLOGIE LISTE des variétés de poires existantes

Hi,

the places in EU or the UK dont ship to the US (they dont do phytosanitary certificates) so no havent found a place to order it from. There are plenty of places that have it but getting it is the rate limiting step. Still looking and confident I can obtain it.

@rubus_chief

The usda has a number assigned to it. The tree might have been mislabeled but i doubt it. I will check into it more.

@rubus_chief

I was able to locate the pear in the usda corvallis oregon collection https://npgsweb.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/accessiondetail?id=1436068

This fall i will put in a request for it.

PI 541132, Pyrus communis L., ‘Beurre Alexandre Lucas’

This photo is from ars grin

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I got the spot for that one. Between clara f and dutchess. These are away at my moms far from my other varieties. I want seeds… and fruit, of course. Just applying some concepts
of horizontal genetic resistances ford maybe a better rootstock and or long term fb resistant tree. Just with all the diversity in fb, no wonder resistant varieties get hit eventually.

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Just an update - Corvallis germplasm said their Alexander Lucas died so it will not be available as an accession

Still looking