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Pear

Pyrus communis

Fruit treeDeciduousFrost HardyToxic

The European pear is a deciduous fruit tree of the rose family that grows into a tall, upright tree on seedling rootstock but stays compact when grafted on quince rootstocks. It flowers earlier than apple and most cultivars need a compatible second pear variety for pollination.

Overview

Height8–12 m
Crown diameter4–8 m
Root systemTap-rooted
ShadeMedium shade
SunFull Sun
WaterMedium
HardinessUSDA zones 4–8

Seasons

Flowering (Central Europe)Apr, May
Harvest (Central Europe)Aug, Sep, Oct

Planting time for bare-root trees. Container trees can be planted whenever the soil is workable.

Grafted forms

FormHeightCrown diameter
Spindle bush2.5–3 m2.5–3.5 m
Bush tree3–4.5 m3.5–5.5 m
Half-standard6–6 m4–6 m
Standard8–12 m4–8 m

Typical sizes; the rootstock, variety and pruning decide the actual size.

Companion Planting

Good Companions

None

Bad Companions

None

Shared disease: fire blight

Other hosts in the database: Apple, Quince, Rowan, Serviceberry, Crabapple. An infected tree can pass the disease on to them.

Only relations with a documented cause are listed.

Toxicity

SeverityMildly toxic
Toxic toHumans, Dogs, Cats

Fruit flesh is edible. Like other Rosaceae seeds, pear seeds contain the cyanogenic glycoside amygdalin, which can release hydrogen cyanide when seeds are chewed; risk is only from larger amounts of crushed seeds.

Planting Tips

LocationFull sun on a warm, sheltered site; pears need more warmth than apples and will not thrive with shade for more than half the day.
SoilDeep, fertile, moist but well-drained, fairly neutral soil; quince rootstocks need warm, well-aerated soil and are lime-sensitive (BA29 is more lime-tolerant).
WateringWater new trees regularly in dry spells for the first couple of years; established trees usually only need water in very dry spells while fruit is swelling.
FertilizingMulched trees usually need no extra feed; if crops are poor or deficiency appears, apply an organic general-purpose granular fertiliser in early spring. Container trees: high-potassium liquid feed fortnightly.

Care Tip: Pick early cultivars just before full ripeness because they turn soft quickly; only late cultivars (ripe from October) store until about December. Pear rust is severe near junipers, its alternate host.

Sources