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Asian Pear Trees
Asian Pear Trees
Pyrus pyrifolia
Asian pears are wonderful low maintenance trees! They are regular, prolific producers in our test orchards. Asian pears, sometimes called Apple Pears, are crunchy and sweet, with a mild flavour. While some pears are partially self fertile, we recommend planting at least two different cultivars for reliable pollination; European and Asian pears do cross pollinate.
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11 products
11 products
History: Chojuro (translated from Japanese as 'plentiful') was found as a chance seedling in the orchard of Toma Tatsujiro in Japan around 1895. From there it became the most popular pear in Japan until modern varieties began to supplant it in the 1950s. In Kawasaki, the city where Toma's orchard was located, a monument still stands to commemorate his work as a pear breeder. Chojuro is the most popular Asian pear in North America.
Why We Grow It: This popular Japanese heritage variety is hard to turn down. The flattish round fruit has russeted brown skin and can be quite large, and is excellent quality when the fruit is left to ripen into October: the sweet, crisp flesh takes on notes of butterscotch and/or white freezie! We recommend picking it when the colours turns yellow-brown so it will store through winter, otherwise it does not keep if allowed to over-ripen on the tree.
History: There appears to be relatively little information on the origins of Hayatama aside from the fact it originated in Wakayama prefecture in Japan. It is potentially named for Kumano Hayatama Taisha, a Shinto shrine in the area.
Why We Grow It: Hayatama produces small, flattish golden-brown pears that are juicy and crisp with a sweet flavour. Although the fruit is small, the tree produces crops of a good size and will give you an ample harvest.
History: Hosui was developed at the Institute of Fruit Tree and Tea Science in Japan. It is a cross between Hiratsuka and Kosui and was selected for its excellent flavour, texture, and resistance to black spot. Hosui was released in 1972 and has since become one of the most popular Japanese varieties.
Why We Grow It: Hosui is more acidic than other pears, providing a sweet and tangy flavour that is unique amongst Asian pears. This early-ripening variety boasts vigorous growth and will produce heavy crops of these large, delicious, golden-brown fruits.
History: Little information appears to be available on the origins of Kenko. Some sources say it was developed by Ken Taylor of Green Barn Nursery while others note that it is quite similar to another Asian pear variety called Olympic.
Why We Grow It: Kenko produces a large, brown pear that is crunchy and sweet. Kenko boasts many ideal traits including a long shelf life, good disease resistance, and winter hardiness.
History: Meigetsu is an Asian pear that originated in Japan. The word 'meigetsu' roughly translates to 'beautiful moon' or 'grand moon.' Its name could also be a shortened version of 'Chushu no Meigetsu,' the Japanese name for the harvest moon in September.
Why We Grow It: Meigetsu Asian pears are pleasantly sweet with the flavour and aroma being compared to pineapples, watermelon, and butterscotch. The flesh is somewhat softer than other Asian pears, making the texture more akin to that of European pears.
History: Mishirasu is an Asian pear from Japan.
Why We Grow It: Mishirasu is a popular variety since the fruit are extra large with a sweet, mild flavour and a nice crunch. The skin is brown and russeted, and the fruit have a roundish shape that is reminiscent of European pears.
History: The Niitaka Asian pear was developed in Japan as a cross between Amanogawa and Imamuraaki Asian pears in 1915 and was released in 1927.
Why We Grow It: Niitaka is a popular Japanese variety with large orange-brown fruit that is round and speckled. The flavour is sweet and mild.
History: Ping Guo Li (translated from Mandarin as 'apple pear') was developed by Jilin Sheng in China and likely named for its round, apple-like shape. While its exact age is unknown, this pear is considered to be an old variety.
Why We Grow It: This Asian pear is nothing but sweet and juicy melting goodness! Its sweet flavour and soft texture are comparable to that of a European pear. So far it has performed very well in our test orchard and displays good cold-hardiness.
History: Little is known about this pear in the Western world aside from the fact it came from China. Seuri is possibly the Japanese version of the Chinese name Se Li (translated as 'red pear' from Mandarin).
Why We Grow It: Seuri Li has yellow-brown skin and the flesh is sweet yet slightly tart with a hint of apricot. It is considered one of the most flavourful of the Asian pears. The tree grows well and has heavy crops.
History: Shinko (translated from Japanese as 'new light') was created in Niigata, Japan as part of a pear breeding program and released in 1941. It is a cross between Nijiseiki and Amanogawa.
Why We Grow It: Shinko produces medium, golden-brown pears that are crisp and sweet with rich flavour. Their taste and texture are both considered excellent! The trees are known for starting to bear at a young age and producing reliable and heavy crops of delicious fruit.
History: Shinseiki (translated from Japanese as 'new century') was developed in Japan and released in the 1940s. It is a cross between Chojuro and Nijiseiki.
Why We Grow It: Shinseiki is known for producing large harvests of round, yellow-green pears with a pleasant crunch early in the season. They have a mild, sweet flavour but can bruise easily due to their high juice content. The fruit hangs onto the tree well and the flavour improves over time.