Summer 2025Pre-order now for delivery September onwards.
Tel. 01759 392007

Fondante d'Automne pear trees

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 an old-fashioned 19th century French pear variety which has been grown in England since Victorian times. Its name describes it well - this is a late-season pear with a sugary sweet flavour. The fruits are small to medium in size, usually covered with a light russet.

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

Fondante d'Automne pear trees for sale

Bare-root

  • BR11-year bare-root tree,Quince A rootstock£38.25
    Large tree (3m-5m after 10 years)
  • BR21-year bare-root tree,Pyrodwarf rootstock£40.50
    Large tree (3m-5m after 10 years)

Need help? Ask our fruit tree experts

Call us on 01759 392007 or fill in our contact form.

Tree specification

Photos of trees as supplied | Tree sizes and forms

Pre-ordering

Pre-order now for delivery in September 2025

Delivery charges

Delivery for a single tree starts at £9.95, it is calculated based on your postcode.

Growing and Training

Unlike many pears of French origin, Fondante d'Automne fruits reliably in the English climate, and is not susceptible to the usual pear diseases.

Recommended pollinators for Fondante d'Automne pear trees

Fondante d'Automne is not self-fertile, so you will need another different but compatible variety planted nearby in order to produce fruit. The following varieties are good pollinators for Fondante d'Automne. If you are not sure about pollination requirements don't hesitate to ask us. More pollinators >

  • Pollinator Conference
    Conference
    Conference is a popular and reliable English pear, well-suited to the UK climate.
  • Pollinator Concorde
    Concorde
    A marriage of Conference and Comice - Concorde is easy to grow, heavy crops, excellent flavour.
  • Pollinator Williams
    Williams
    Williams is a classic English pear, also known as Bartlett, with good flavour and quite easy to grow.
  • Pollinator Beth
    Beth
    An easy and reliable early-season pear, with a very good melting flavour.
  • Pollinator Invincible
    Invincible
    Invincible is a high quality pear which can also cope with difficult conditions.
  • Pollinator Sensation
    Sensation
    A red-coloured sport of the popular Williams pear, with a similar good flavour.
  • Pollinator Obelisk
    Obelisk
    A useful dwarf pear tree for small gardens, it grows with a tidy upright habit and is self-fertile.
  • Pollinator Santa Claus
    Santa Claus
    As the name suggests, Santa Claus is a late ripening dessert pear which keeps until Christmas.

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

Growing

  • Gardening skillAverage
  • Self-fertilityNot self-fertile
  • Flowering group4
  • Pollinating othersAverage
  • Climate suitabilityTemperate climatesWarm climates

Using

  • Picking seasonLate
  • CroppingGood
  • Keeping (of fruit)2-3 weeks
  • Food usesEating fresh

Problems

  • CankerSome resistance
  • Scab (Apple and Pear)Some resistance

Identification

  • Country of originBelgiumFrance
  • Period of origin1800 - 1849
  • Fruit colourGoldRussetYellow
  • Flesh colourWhite

British-grown trees Trees grown in the UK.

Unlike many garden centres and online retailers, the vast majority of our fruit trees are grown in the UK. Find out more.

In addition, all our trees are certified under the Plant Healthy scheme, supervised by the Plant Health Alliance. Other stakeholders include Defra and the RHS. The scheme aims to improve UK biosecurity by setting standards for all growers and retailers involved in selling plants in the UK. Find out more.

Guaranteed fruit trees

When you buy your fruit tree from Orange Pippin Fruit Trees we guarantee it for the first season in your garden while it gets established. If it doesn't grow successfully, we'll either replace it the following season or offer a refund, subject to some conditions. Find out more.


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