Pyrus communis
Pear
Common names: European pear, Common pear
Photo: Keith Weller · Public Domain · Source
This description was machine-translated.
Description
The pear is sweeter and juicier than the apple, but slightly more heat-demanding and loves a sheltered location. Varieties such as 'Conference' or 'Williams Christ' are proven in home gardens. As with apples, you usually need a second pollinator nearby.
Care instructions
Plant the tree in autumn (October, week 42) in a warm, wind-protected spot in well-draining soil. Prune moderately in winter (February, week 8), as pears react sensitively to heavy pruning with water sprouts. Harvest the fruits slightly unripe and allow them to ripen in storage.
Soil & site
Soil pH
Soil type
loamy, humus-rich, well-drained, nutrient-rich
Feeding
Medium feeder
Months
Mar, Apr, Jun
Pruning
Propagation
Methods
- Grafting
- Cuttings
- Layering
Companion planting
Good neighbors
Rather not
Companion planting is partly traditional gardening lore. Where the reason is known, it is given.
Some of these explanations were machine-translated.
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Varieties
12 varieties‘Alexander Lucas’
*‚Alexander Lucas’* is a productive, large-fruited autumn-to-winter pear that you can store well until December.
‘Boscs Flaschenbirne’
*‚Boscs Flaschenbirne’* (also Kaiser Alexander) you immediately recognize by its long, bottle-shaped fruit with the typical cinnamon-brown russeted skin.
‘Clapps Liebling’
*‚Clapps Liebling’* is one of the earliest pears ever, you can harvest it for the first time already in early August.
‘Conference’
Conference is the most cultivated pear in Europe and one of the most reliable for your home garden.
‘Gellerts Butterbirne’
You will find *‚Gellerts Butterbirne’* (also known as Hardenponts Winterbutterbirne) to be an elegant, melting autumn pear with a fine aroma.
‘Gräfin von Paris’
The *‚Gräfin von Paris’* is a true winter pear, you harvest it still hard in late October and let it ripen in storage until February or March.
‘Gute Luise’
You will find *‚Gute Luise’* robust, widely cultivable autumn pear with balanced flavor.
‘Harrow Sweet’
This Canadian breed was selected specifically for fire blight tolerance and is therefore one of the safest choices for areas where the disease is around.
‘Köstliche von Charneux’
The Köstliche von Charneux (also called Bürgermeisterbirne) is an old Belgian autumn pear valued for its good scab resistance and its heavy yield.
‘Novembra’
A robust winter pear from the Pillnitz resistance breeding programme, which owes its name to its long storage life: in…
‘Vereinsdechant’
The Vereinsdechant (Doyenné du Comice) is regarded by many as the finest tasting pear of all, a large fruited winter pear that you can store into December.
‘Williams Christ’
Williams Christ is the classic summer pear and the basis of the famous Williams brandy.
Notes from real gardens
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From the magazine
Planting a pear tree: warm spot, rootstock and pollinator
Pears want warmth, flower early and almost always need a pollinator. How to solve the pear puzzle of spot, quince rootstock and a matching second variety.
Pear rust: orange spots and the juniper next door
Bright orange spots on the pear leaf: pear rust looks dramatic but has a decisive weakness. It absolutely needs a juniper as its second host. How to break the cycle and get rid of the rust for good.
Growing nashi: the crisp, juicy Asian pear for the home garden
The nashi looks like an apple, tastes like a pear and stays crisp instead of going soft. Here is how to plant the Asian pear, why you need two varieties and when the best harvest day arrives.
Recognising fruit tree diseases: scab, fire blight, brown rot and more
An identification helper for the five commonest fruit tree diseases: apple scab, fire blight, brown rot, pear rust and peach leaf curl. How to recognise each by its damage, why fire blight is notifiable, and how an airy crown and tree hygiene prevent most problems.
Training an espalier: apple and pear flat on the wall
On an espalier apple and pear bear in the smallest space. How to get the spot, the wire frame and the summer pruning right so a narrow wall becomes a fruit surface.
Quince in the home garden: varieties, harvest and use
The quince is robust, self-fertile and bears alone. Apple versus pear quince, the late harvest point and what becomes of the hard fruit, from jelly to liqueur.