Catillac
Pyrus communis Catillac is a traditional French pear variety, first described in "Le Jardinier Francais", a popular French gardening book published in the 1650s during the reign of Louis XIV. There is some evidence this variety was grown in the royal orchards at Versailles at this time.
Unlike most modern pears, it is not usually eaten fresh, but is brought to perfection by slow poaching or cooking.
Catillac pears are fairly large, and store well, and the trees are also big and reliable heavy-croppers, and quite disease-resistant - all important characteristics before modern refrigeration.
As well as the interesting fruits, Catillac features particularly attractive spring blossom.
If you want to create a traditional French pear dessert as might have been served at the court of King Louis XIV, this is the variety you need.
Catillac pear trees for sale
RF11-year bare-root
tree
on Quince A rootstock£38.25
Mature height: 2m-3.5m after 10 years
Can be trained on as a large bush-trained or half-standard tree, or a large fan or espalier.
Available next season
RF21-year bare-root
tree
on Pyrodwarf rootstock£40.50
Mature height: 3m-5m after 10 years
Can be trained on as a large pear tree, or half-standard pear tree.
Available next season
Growing and Training
Catillac is a vigorous and heavy-cropping variety. It grows well in most climates, including the UK.
Catillac is a triploid variety and will not cross-pollinate other pears, but is easily pollinated by most other mid or late-flowering pear varieties.
The fruit size is relatively large by pear standards - provided you thin the fruitlets in late spring.
Recommended pollinators for Catillac pear trees
Catillac is not self-fertile and is also a poor pollinator of other varieties. Ideally you need two other different but compatible varieties planted nearby in order to produce fruit, or one compatible self-fertile variety.
The following varieties are good pollinators for Catillac.
If you are not sure about pollination requirements don't hesitate to ask us.
More pollinators >
BethAn easy and reliable early-season pear, with a very good melting flavour.
ConferenceConference is a popular and reliable English pear, well-suited to the UK climate.
GinA rare English perry pear variety with good disease resistance and medium acid and tannins.
MoonglowA high quality early season dessert and culinary pear, very resistant to fireblight.
SensationA red-coloured sport of the popular Williams pear, with a similar good flavour.
ThornAn ancient pear variety from Gloucestershire, now used mainly for perry production.
WilliamsWilliams is a classic English pear, also known as Bartlett, with good flavour and quite easy to grow.
History
Catillac pear was described by Nicolas de Bonnefond (or Bonnefons) in his book "Le Jardinier Francais", which was published several times (due to its immediate popularity) from about 1650 - 1706. He refers to it as Cadillac, which may suggest its origins, in the town of Cadillac near Bordeaux in south-western France. De Bonnefond states it is best used in the period December-January.
By de Bonnedond's time Catillac was widely grown in France, and is believed to have been planted in King Louis XIV's "Potager du Roi", the fruit and vegetable garden attached to the Palace of Versailles, which was constructed between 1678 and 1683. It is likely that de Bonnefond was employed by Louis XIV at some stage.
Catillac characteristics
- Gardening skillAverage
- Fruit persistenceNormal ripening
- Self-fertile?Not self-fertile
- Pollinating othersPoor
- Pick seasonLate
- Keeping3 months or more
- Food usesCulinary
- Country of originFrance
- Period of origin1600 - 1649
- Fruit colourYellow / Red
You might also like these varieties
BethAn easy and reliable early-season pear, with a very good melting flavour.
ConcordeA marriage of Conference and Comice - Concorde is easy to grow, heavy crops, excellent flavour.
ConferenceConference is a popular and reliable English pear, well-suited to the UK climate.
WilliamsWilliams is a classic English pear, also known as Bartlett, with good flavour and quite easy to grow.
More about pear trees
The modern dessert pear really came into its own in the Victorian era. Before that pears were mainly used for cookery, and typically had a very hard dense flesh which was softened in stewing or baking. We still have some of these old-fashioned pear varieties, and they make an interesting addition to the kitchen garden.
