The D'Anjou pear, sometimes referred to as the Beurré d'Anjou or simply Anjou, is a short-necked cultivar of European Pear. The variety was originally named Nec Plus Meuris in Europe and the name Anjou or d'Anjou was erroneously applied to the variety when introduced to America and England. It is thought to have originated in the early to mid-19th century, in Belgium or France.
- The Green Anjou has a pale green skin that doesn't change color as the pear ripens. Some other varieties of green pears turn yellow as they ripen.
- The Red Anjou originated as naturally occurring bud sport found on Green Anjou trees. Red Anjou pears are very similar to the original Anjou other than color.
The d'Anjou is considered a medium to large pear, typically around 270–285 grams, 85 mm in height, and 80 mm in diameter. It has a wide, globular base, short stem, and thin skin with many notable lenticels, or pores, which allow the exchange of gases with the atmosphere. The flesh is described as "creamy white, aromatic, juicy, sweet, slightly acidic, with buttery and slightly gritty texture."
In the United States, the variety was recommended for general cultivation by the American Pomological Congress in 1852, and as of 2004 represented 34% of reported U.S. pear production, with Oregon being the primary pear producing state.
- Ramdane Dris; S. Mohan Jain (2004-01-31). Production Practices and Quality Assessment of Food Crops: Volume 3: Quality Handling and Evaluation. Springer. p. 277. ISBN 978-1-4020-1700-1.
- Jelly Belly Flavor Guide: Juicy Pear
- Proceedings of the ... Session of the American Pomological Congress. American Pomological Society. 1852. p. 24.
- U.S. Department of Agriculture. (September 2004.) "Pyrus Crop Germplasm Committee: Report and genetic vulnerability statement, September 2004". (Website.) Germ Resources Information Network (GRIN), page 5. Retrieved on 2007-10-02.
- 'Anjou' USDA, ARS, National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network - (GRIN) Online Database National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland