Pear

Pears are among the easiest and most attractive fruit trees for the home landscape. Lovely even in winter, pears are easy to prune and can be trained into a formal or informal appearance. For small landscapes and easy harvest, choose a dwarf cultivar.

These productive trees yield bushels of succulent fruits. Many pears need a pollinizer. Use any other pear. Be sure to select a self-fruitful type if you have space for only one tree.

Light:

Sun

Zones:

3-8

Plant Type:

Fruit,Tree

Plant Height:

8-25 feet

Plant Width:

8-25 feet

Bloom Time:

Pear trees bloom in spring, and the buds and flowers are occasionally damaged by a late frost; the result is no fruit that year

Landscape Uses:

Beds & Borders

Special Features:

Flowers,Fragrant

Top Varieties

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'Bartlett' pear

Pyrus communis 'Bartlett' is a popular pear that produces large yellow fruits with smooth, juicy white flesh. Zones 5-7
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'Bosc' pear

Pyrus communis 'Bosc' produces fruits with a unique sweet-spice flavor and brown skin. These firm fruits have a long neck and a full rounded base. Zones 5-8
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'Hosui' Asian pear

Pyrus communis 'Hosui' produces a round pear with a snappy tang for its taste. The blight-resistant tree is self-pollinating. Zones 5-9
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'Kieffer' pear

Pyrus communis 'Kieffer' is an Oriental pear that produces oval fruits with yellow-green skin splashed with red when ripe. The white flesh is crisp and juicy with a coarse texture. Zones 4-9
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'Seckel' pear

Pyrus communis 'Seckel' produces small fruits early in the season with an intense sweet flavor. The fruits store well, and the trees are resistant to fire blight. Zones 4-8
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'Shinko' Asian pear

Pyrus communis 'Shinko' is an excellent producer, bearing medium to large fruits with golden-brown skin and creamy flesh that is sweet and juicy. Zones 4-9
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Harvest Tips

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Most fruits are picked when they are ripe or nearly so. Pears are the exception. A tree-ripened pear breaks down, turning soft and brown at the core. Harvest pears when they have reached full size but are still green and firm. Store them in a cool, dark place.

Propagation

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Grafting