What is bergamot: pear or citrus?

The most popular "folk" fruits are pear, apple and apricot. The fruits of the pear were in great demand even in Ancient Greece. Since then, a lot of time has passed, but people of all ages still love it. Pear - fruit tree of the Rosaceae family. This plant has a large number of subspecies, which are divided conditionally into varieties of early, middle and late maturation. The most famous is Bergamot.

Many, of course, like to drink tea with a taste of bergamot, but not everyone knows what bergamot is - a pear or citrus plant.

History

Bergamot belongs to the family of rutae. The origin of this fetus has a long history. In nature it does not grow, but is man-made artificially, by crossing a lemon and bitter orange.

The name that bears the pear variety - "Bergamot" - has two versions of origin. According to the first, an exotic plant from Southeast Asia was named after the Italian city of Bergamo, in which were his first plantations in Europe. According to the second version, the word "bergamot" in Turkish means "a pear of a lord", because The fruit in its appearance and shape resembles a pear. The first version of the history of the name of citrus is more popular.

Pear "Bergamot": description

The name "bergamot" is often used in the name of different varieties of pears that are cultivated in Europe.

This variety is very widespread, it is grown throughout Europe. The plant is thermophilic, so it fructifies best in conditions of subtropics in the open ground.

Most often bergamot trees can be found in southern Italy, about 40% of pear varieties in Europe are found in this country. The second place - 20% - in Spain grows bergamot. The third place is France.

In Russia, many kinds of pear varieties have been created and grown that are resistant to a cold climate, but the Bergamot variety is not popular. Even in Soviet times, the variety was distributed depending on the planting territory: in the western regions, the variety "Polish bergamot" was most often grown, but it does not tolerate transportation, in the central regions - "Red", which is very tolerant to temperature changes, in the southern regions - "Autumn bergamot".

"Bergamot" (pear) has common features for all varieties:

• The height of the tree reaches 10 m;
• Fruits have a rounded shape;
• Branches are covered with long spines;
• In spring the plant is enveloped in a cloud of flowers with a fragrant smell;
• Fruits from the autumn to the beginning of winter;
• High productivity.

The variety is very amiable: trees require frequent watering.

Features

"Bergamot" (pear) is a variety that includes trees with slightly flattened fruits of round shape that contain a large amount of useful substance - arbutin, which has the ability to stop inflammatory processes and prevent the development of many serious diseases.

and

This kind of pear is useful for people suffering from diseases of the urogenital system. Glogenic acid, which leads to fruit, fruitfully affects the work of the liver and gallbladder, provokes outflow of bile and slag from the body.

The fruit has an acid-bitter taste, not as sour as lemon, but more bitter than grapefruit. Because of its taste in food is not used.

Varieties

"Bergamot" (pear) has been grown for a long time, and breeders brought out a large number of varieties, corresponding to the climatic conditions of this or that area. In Russia, only a small part of them are grown:

• Muscat;
• Autumn;
• Summer red;
• Volzhsky.

The "Bergamot autumn" sort is formed as a result of selection and is most popular. Most often this species is found in the middle lane. The tree is strong, has a rare back pyramidal crown, branches are located at an acute angle to the trunk, the leaves are elongated, with pointed edges.

The fruits of the variety "Autumn" are of average size, slightly flat, round in shape. Trees bear fruit for 7 years. Productivity is low. Flesh is white, has a wine-sweet taste with a weak flavor. This variety is common in the Baltic States and Russia.

The disadvantages of the species include: low fruit taste, trees are afraid of low temperatures and often get sick.

The trees of the Bergamot Muscat variety are distinguished by thick foliage, up to 8 m high, of a spherical shape with thick branches. The variety is highly productive: for a season you can harvest from one tree to 300 kg. The flesh of the fruit is juicy and has a pleasant taste.

Pear "Bergamot Moscow"

The variety was bred in the Moscow State Academy. K. Timiryazev. A tree of this type has a small crown.

Fruiting occurs for 4 years. Fruits are yellow-green in color, large enough. The pulp is juicy and dense, with a sweet and sour taste. Maturation occurs in September. From one tree you can collect up to 20 kg of harvest.

The variety is different:

• High resistance to frost;
• Long period of flowering;
• Compactness of the tree crown,
• Fruits of large size - the weight of one reaches 150 g;
• Resistant to scab and fruit rot.

The main disadvantage of this variety: in arid years or with insufficient watering the fruits become tart and sour.